


Captured

by RedheadedSuperhero



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Dean Winchester, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Werecreatures, Bottom Castiel, F/F, F/M, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Misunderstandings, Omega Castiel, Top Dean, Wolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-25
Updated: 2018-03-08
Packaged: 2019-02-06 18:52:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 103,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12823860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedheadedSuperhero/pseuds/RedheadedSuperhero
Summary: There had not been an omega in the Angyal family for generations. Ever since Castiel can remember, he had known that, eventually, he would have to mate an alpha who benefited his uncle Michael in one way or the other. He had accepted his fate. Or so he thought. Because when he was about to be bartered away to the old-fashioned Zachariah, he simply could not do it. With the help of Anna and Balthazar, he escaped Michael’s palace to find sanctuary with his uncle Gabriel.However, their flight did not turn out as planned, and soon, Castiel found himself alone in a strange pack – and tried to figure out his relationship with their leader, Dean.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, everyone! :) This story is set in some kind of medieval world, where people actually shift into wolves. Wolves can talk to each other through a telepathic link (written in italics) – but it only works wolf-to-wolf. They can still understand human speech, though – but when in human form, shifters cannot understand wolves, other than body language. Packs can be of very different sizes – but mostly, they are more like kingdoms with hundreds to thousands of members.  
> Be warned: There is not too much action – or plot – in this fic; I like to concentrate on fluff. :-D  
> Since there is so much exposition in the beginning, I posted two chapters at the same time. Next update will be up on Tuesday – and after that, every Thursday.

CAPTURED

 

Chapter ONE

 

Castiel lied on his bed, fully dressed.

He was so nervous, he felt sick.

Tonight, he would escape.

Hopefully.

 

If everything turned out as planned, Castiel would soon start a happier life in the pack of his uncle Gabriel. But it was just as possible he might be caught before they even made it past the town walls, or they could get attacked during their long way to Loki.

Or – Castiel looked out the window, where snowflakes were whirling around – it was even thinkable that they would simply freeze to death.

Winter had come early this year, it was not even November yet, and Castiel wondered if they had made the right decision to travel in wolf form. They could not bring much on their journey – no soft blankets, no warm clothes, hardly any food.

But still, human form would be too risky, too slow and easy to track down.

Castiel stood abruptly – the tension in his body suddenly made it hard to lie still.  He paced the room and tried to calm down by reminding himself he would not be alone. His sister, Anna, as well as his friend Balthazar would help him get away.

But instead of being reassured by the prospect of travelling in company, he just felt even more anxious, knowing he did not only jeopardise his own safety but theirs as well.

But after all, the flight had been Anna’s idea. And as soon as Balthazar had learned about the plan, the siblings had not been able to stop him from trying to help.

Castiel contemplated for a moment to simply call the whole thing off – but then, he thought about Zachariah again, and he felt sick for completely different reasons.

He would not be mated to the appalling alpha – at least not without putting up a fight.

 

>><< 

 

Being an omega, especially an omega in a family of lead alphas, Castiel had always known that, eventually, he would be bartered away to a suitable alpha. And by _suitable_ he meant an alpha who benefitted his uncle Michael in some way or another. In fact, ever since he could remember, Castiel had been aware that he was promised to one of his cousins, Jack. He had been prepared to mate for political reasons all his life – he had met his cousin twice and even concluded that Jack seemed amiable enough, for an alpha. He definitely was more agreeable than his father Lucifer – and Castiel’s biggest fear had always been that he would have to move to the vicious alpha’s territory and live under his rule one day.

Decades ago, the two brothers Michael and Lucifer, both lead alphas of large and prestigious packs, had been at war. The conflict had started after their combined forces had not been able to subdue the Winchester pack – both sides blaming each other. The battle between the brothers, right after their defeat by the Winchesters, had just weakened both packs even more – and at last, they had signed a treaty and decided to seal it with an arranged mating bond between their offspring.

Unfortunately, both had only sired alphas – but their sister Naomi had given birth to Castiel. And since Naomi had lived in Michael’s pack all her life, the brothers agreed her close bond to Michael would suffice to form an alliance. After all, Michael was eager to settle the old quarrel with his brother, and Lucifer would receive a true gift for his son: a pure-blooded omega.

Omegas were rare, and even more so in Castiel’s bloodline of dominant alphas. He had been the first omega of the Angyal family in generations. Being a male, he was even more of a curiosity – and in some packs, they were considered more exotic than females and thus more desirable; for others they were hardly more than abominations.

But for most shifters, both female and male omegas were primarily seen as reliable breeders.

And due to that presumption alone, dominant male alphas liked to pick omegas as their mates – since they would get almost always pregnant while in heat. And they hardly ever lost a child during pregnancy. Also, common belief suggested that omegas would only give birth to exceptionally skilful warriors – though Castiel was convinced this was more superstition than anything else.

But then again, he would generally like to think that omegas could have another purpose in life than just bearing children; but it was hard to find anyone who would listen to him in this family of thick-headed alphas. Other than Anna, of course. Anna, who had always supported Castiel. As rare as male omegas were, as unusual were female alphas – and their mother Naomi had often proclaimed that her children were born the wrong sex. The last thing she had ever said to Castiel was “I wish you were no omega”, with her very last breath. If she had had more time, she would have certainly repeated something similar to Anna. Castiel had not seen his mother often, but it still hurt that this might be the strongest memory he held of her.

In the end, even though his pack considered omegas as breeders, Castiel did not mind being an omega per se. He just resented how everyone else treated them. But at the same time, he could not imagine being anyone else. He didn’t understand the other genders’ urge to constantly challenge each other or to answer any slight insult with a display of power. He did not particularly enjoy being placed at the bottom of the pack hierarchy – but at the same time, he had absolutely no desire to rank himself in some kind of order and honestly, he thought it would benefit everyone to listen to omegas more often, and not settle every disagreement through a gory fight.

Alphas were just so easily provoked. And betas were only marginally better at controlling their tempers.  With a dominant alpha, it might be enough to hold eye contact for a second too long and the wolf inside would lash out. Michael had executed countless of alphas and betas for bagatelles, just to illustrate who was in command – and how he dealt with any form of disrespect. Castiel knew that a firm hierarchy was important for a pack of easily enraged wolves to work – but sometimes the allegedly disrespectful act was just meant as a query or some idea of improvement.

Omegas, on the other hand, would not take everything as a personal attack or accusation but rather think about the other’s words or show empathy. Castiel disdained that this made omegas often seen as weak or submissive. The stubborn wolves should just listen to the gender from time to time and not sell them off to the highest bidder as perfect breeders.

But even if he did not like the prospect of spending his life in the bedroom of some alpha, Castiel had accepted that he would get claimed by his cousin. At least, he would be mated as well. And he knew he had been blessed with a relatively good life in Michael’s palace, Heavensgate. Luckily for Castiel, since the union between him and his cousin had been determined, Michael had not been too focused to train him into a perfect mate. The match had already been made, and the most important thing was to keep Castiel away from any alphas beside Anna and himself. So he would, by all means, remain untouched and unmarked until the mating ceremony.

Castiel had been taught everything that was expected of an omega – but thanks to his older sister, Castiel had also read more books than anyone else in the palace. And he regularly changed into his wolf form. They always had to shift in secrecy since it was not _proper_ for an omega to change shape – the only time they were expected to do so, was during the claiming. To mark an omega irrevocably as theirs, the alpha needed to be in wolf form – and it would be excruciatingly painful for the omega to stay human during the ordeal.

But Castiel had always enjoyed changing shape, albeit even alphas rarely did it in Heavensgate. On every third moon, however, there would be celebrations where alphas and betas shifted to hunt together or fight each other – in other words: to show off their superiority. And Castiel would eagerly look out the window, keen to get a glimpse of the wolves. He was captivated by the animals’ grace and apparent strength.

But even though he was never allowed to join the wolves, and his circle of companions had always been small, Castiel had been blessed with more happy years than he could have ever hoped for.

Since he had turned eighteen, two weeks before every birthday, Lucifer had sent a letter with excuses why the mating needed to be postponed for another year. And Castiel had always been grateful for the delay.

Now, he was already 25; most omegas would have given birth to a whole litter of pups by that age.

And for quite some time, Michael had not cared. He had accepted every explanation and trusted that the union would still take place. As it would obviously benefit both sides. So the alpha had waited stoically – until a couple of months ago, when Lucifer had sent an invitation to the mating ceremony between Jack and Lillith of Pokol. He had added smugly how deplorable it was that the union between his son and Castiel could not take place after all.

Michael had then seethed with anger. Reneging on their long-held promise could not be seen as anything but a deliberate provocation – and Pokol, with its dreaded head alpha Alastair, would constitute a strong ally for Lucifer.

It seemed, Lucifer was not interested in peace any more but wanted to revive the old brawl. And he even found some promising support. As a result, Michael rapidly tried to form an alliance of his own. And thus, he had found Zachariah of the Adler clan.

After Lucifer had broken the agreement, Michael had suddenly remembered his nephew all too well – and it occurred to him that he could still use the omega as a bargain for a potential ally. And to make it all the more enticing and lure in as many candidates as possible, Michael used an old-fashioned custom: Claiming fights.

Some forms of alphas fighting over an omega were an established custom in all packs, as far as Castiel knew. It was often referred to as _capturing_ an omega – even though the omega had no active role in the fights; but at the end, they were considered fair game to the victor. Obviously, Castiel had never witnessed one of these fights himself, but he knew those were part of the reason he had always lived so secluded. Alphas often started to challenge each other in the presence of an unmated omega – and in the end, whoever came out on top and managed to defeat their rivals, was within his rights to claim the omega. One reason, Castiel had never been too averse to the concept of being promised to his cousin, was that he would never be forced to go through such an archaic ritual. One penalty of being captured was that the alpha could simply claim the omega as his – without a binding mating ceremony. And a marked omega without a mate would often live a life as a mere concubine.

But at least Castiel did not need to fear ending up like that – since an official bond to one of the Angyal branch must be too tempting for all the fierce and powerful alphas Michael had invited to participate in the capturing of _his_ omega.

The head alphas could either fight for their own or send in a delegate. Naturally, almost all leaders sent representatives.

So, Castiel’s first contact with alphas meant facing a bunch of overly aggressive and barbaric men, who ferociously fought each other for the right to claim the omega – and with that, a strong alliance to one of the biggest packs known.

He had never before been allowed in close proximity to alphas – he did not even truly know Michael’s sons – but during these days of fighting, Castiel was supposed to sit beside his uncle, prize right in front of everyone’s eyes. Castiel would have rather abstained from this spectacle – he admitted he had often been fascinated watching their pack’s skilful warriors from afar, but this time, the alphas were ruthless. He imagined that his presence just spurred them on even more. Even when the last few remaining alphas had started to shift to wolf form, Castiel was still appalled, despite his usual fascination with the animals. He occasionally studied his uncle’s face during the contest – and was disgusted to see the eager bloodlust in the head alpha’s eyes. He seemed to enjoy the gruesome combats.

In the end, Uriel, a vicious and brutal fighter, had defeated all his rivals. His last opponent had been the alpha Gadreel who had been fighting for himself and seemed the least appalling to Castiel. The omega looked away as Uriel ripped out his throat, despite the alpha’s capitulation beforehand. By that time, Uriel’s wolf had taken full control of the man, and afterwards, it needed two days for the alpha to turn back to human form. Alphas had a lot more trouble controlling their wolfs once they let them out, especially during battle. It was just one more thing that made them so dangerous. In Castiel’s opinion, this emphasised another virtue of omegas – the wolf and the human lived in balanced co-existence.

Like most of the other combatants, Uriel had not fought for his own, but for his pack alpha, Zachariah.

The Adler pack was a lot smaller than their own, but Zachariah was known to be loyal, and the Adlers were cunning fighters – as Uriel had just demonstrated. And Michael was quite pleased with the outcome, since he felt like he needed battle-tested support in the near future. Because he was about to challenge his brother for the open insult.

Alphas. Never talking things out, always attacking to show who was the top dog.

In the end, Castiel did not care about the fight between the brothers. They lived hundreds of miles away from each other, and Michael could easily ignore Lucifer for the rest of his life and vice versa. What Castiel did care about, was Zachariah. He did not even mind that his mate would be nearly three times his age or did not look like one of the alpha knights he had sometimes ogled while they sparred in the court yard. But Castiel did mind being mated to a sadistic bastard.

Castiel had books, lots of books, and he conversed regularly with Balthazar, who was one of the palace messengers – and for some reason, Michael had allowed him to befriend the beta. Castiel had always been fascinated with cultures of other packs. So even before he had met Zachariah, he had known that the Adler pack saw no other purpose in omegas than to act like good breeders. And Zachariah himself had been mated five times already, always to betas. But in the last five decades, he had only managed to sire a couple of beta females. And his mates had always died of a mixture of malnourishment and sickness. Balthazar, who travelled the world for a living, had reluctantly told Castiel some horrific stories he had heard about the Adler alpha.

Then two weeks ago, Castiel had met Zachariah for the first time, and the alpha had bluntly told him that he hoped the omega would show a more submissive posture once they were mated. Castiel had not even said a word at the time and had kept his gaze to the floor – so he had virtually no idea what could have infuriated the man so easily. To humiliate him even more, the only question Zachariah directed at Castiel was whether he was still untouched, despite his _advanced age_.

To Castiel’s horror, his uncle had not intervened or contradicted Zachariah in any way, but on the contrary, the last couple of weeks, Michael had shown more interest in Castiel’s behaviour than ever before. He reprimanded him every time he said something without having been directly allowed to do so, and he chided him every time Castiel did not bare his throat at the presence of an alpha like a good omega was supposed to. Castiel was even put on a diet of only vegetables – since omegas were supposed to be lean and not as muscular as Castiel. He was hardly allowed out of his room anymore and even Anna seldom managed to sneak in.

At least, Castiel still had his books to keep him company. And he tried to calm himself, he truly did. Tried to argue that Zachariah needed to treat him better than his first mates – after all, Castiel was his link to the Angyal pack.

But three days ago, the omega snapped. Uriel, the First Soldier of the Adler clan, visited to bring Castiel clothes he was supposed to wear when he arrived at his new alpha’s home (though Castiel thought _clothes_ was a big word, considering the lack of cloth). Uriel also explained he was not supposed to bring anything else since he would be given everything he needed from his new alpha. He emphasized that Castiel was not to accept anything from anyone but his mate; this obviously included substantial things like food or clothes.

Castiel had not been able to oppress a remark about how he was expected to _not_ freeze to death with these sort of outfits, pointing at the piece of cloth in Uriel’s hands. The alpha had only shrugged and told him, he would hardly freeze to death in the bedroom with dozens of blankets around him. Obviously, he didn’t need to go anywhere else.

After that conversation, Castiel had decided he would rather die than be mated into the Adler pack. Fortunately, Anna had had the same thought, and together they planed Castiel’s escape. They did not have much time to prepare – but at least they instantly agreed where they would be running to.

Michael and Lucifer had a third brother – Gabriel, who was not like his siblings at all. Castiel had not seen the alpha in years, but when he had been a child, Gabriel had still visited quite often, bags always full of sweets. Both Castiel and Anna still received a letter every birthday and with it some form of expensive chocolates or caramelised nuts. Sometimes the siblings joked whether Gabriel had any idea how old they were by now.

Gabriel was Castiel’s only chance. He had only hope he could hold on to – hope, that if he managed to reach him, the alpha would take the siblings in and not rat them out to his older brother. He had a feeling that Gabriel might just help; in his memory the man had been both flamboyant and kind.

Of the three Angyal brothers, Gabriel had been _gifted_ with the most inferior territory. It was a lot smaller and had fewer riches than either Michael or Lucifer’s kingdoms – but for some reason, the youngest brother had never complained. The estrangement between the brothers had only began when Gabriel refused to join the attack on the Winchester pack – his own land nearly bordered to the desired territory and thus, the older brothers would have liked to use this to their advantage. But Gabriel had shown no interest to subdue the Winchesters. He even went as far as to say he did not need more space anyway – a point of view both Michael and Lucifer could only sneer at.

Anna and Castiel had had only three days to plan the escape – and since Castiel was supposed to travel to Adler territory the day after tomorrow, they were rapidly running out of time. Fortunately, Balthazar had learned about their plan and to Castiel’s relief, the beta had been nothing but supportive. To have the messenger on their side made the escape suddenly seem possible. Because unlike the siblings, he knew his way around the neighbouring countries, he knew shortcuts and secure territories they could cross as long as they had enough money – as well as dangerous packs they should on all accounts avoid.

 

>><< 

 

Castiel looked out the window again. The snowfall had not decreased, and he felt cold already. At least the ground was not yet covered, and if luck was on their side, it would clear up soon.

There was a light knock on the door and Castiel opened to both Anna and Balthazar, hugging them tightly as he tried to convey all the gratefulness he felt with the simple gesture.

They sneaked through the palace and out of the wooden gate. On the way, Castiel saw four sleeping guards – successfully knocked out by Balthazar’s _friendly drinking offer_. The three humans hurried through dark alleys and back roads until they reached the forest at the end of the city.

It had been easier than Castiel anticipated – he had been half-convinced they would never even make it out of Heavensgate.

The group quickly separated and hid behind different trees to change into their wolf forms – as Castiel took off his clothes in the cold night air and prepared for the change, he envied how easily his sister could shift – for alphas, the transformation was always quick and mostly painless. For Castiel, it felt like he had to first break and then heal every bone in his body. He could not oppress a couple of yelps and whimpers until he finally joined his friends again. This time as a small black wolf, looking up at one sandy brown and one red with white spots; both of them had little bags bound to their backs, filled with basic nourishment. As a human, Castiel was taller than his sister; in wolf form, the alpha was distinctly bigger – another typical distinction between alphas and omegas.

They dug a hole together and buried their clothes. It would still be easy enough to detect, but they hardly had another option. When they were done covering their tracks as well as possible, Anna once licked over Castiel’s ear encouragingly, turned around and ran straight into the wide forest, followed by Balthazar.

Castiel looked up at the massive palace towering over the small cabins of the townspeople one last time.

Then, with a low whimper, he disappeared into the dark woods as well.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will (probably) be 18 chapters to this story and I’ll update on Thursdays (I have currently written more than half, so I am optimistic about the schedule ;-).


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WANRING: There will be mention of attempted (!) rape in this chapter – but of course, the offender is not gonna be Dean.

Chapter TWO

 

They had not stopped running throughout the whole night.

They knew they needed to put as much distance between themselves and the palace as possible before anyone even noticed their absence. No one would care about Anna or Balthazar for some time, but Castiel was sure everyone would notice _his_ empty chair at the breakfast table. Another new idea of his uncle: Castiel was supposed to attend all meals with Michael and his inner circle, to get accustomed to only take what his alpha, at this point still his uncle, offered. And since Castiel obviously needed to lose weight, that wasn’t much.

Castiel’s legs had become almost numb, but just the thought of accepting anything from Zachariah had him run a little faster again.

Neither of the three had said a word since they left Castiel’s room, but for the last two hours, the omega had noticed that both Anna and Balthazar shot him concerned glances every now and then. And he knew why: He was getting tired. As an omega, he possessed neither the same amount of resilience nor strength as the other two. His wolf was a lot smaller, and never before had he needed to perform such an exhausting physical task. It didn’t help that he had hardly been allowed any substantial food for the last couple of weeks.

Suddenly, Anna’s eyes fixed on something in the distance and she ran a bit faster, Balthazar and Castiel merely trotting behind at this time. She soon returned with a satisfied look in her eyes.

_I found a cave a little way over. We can rest there for a while._

Castiel was about to protest, but one look from his sister shut him up. And he had to admit, it wouldn’t help anyone if he passed out during the next hour. They still had at least five days of running ahead of them. They needed to take a break, eventually, anyway.

Unfortunately, the weather had not much improved. Since sunrise, it did not snow anymore – but the rain was still clinging uncomfortable to Castiel’s fur and he was freezing. Balthazar and Anna seemed in better condition and as soon as they arrived in the small cave, they wrapped themselves around Castiel to help him warm up with their body heat.

 _Thank you_ , he mumbled, and Anna just rested his head on Castiel’s, tugging him even closer while Balthazar was glued to his back, so that the omega was able to doze off in a blanket of fur.

They didn’t dare to rest for long, however, and after a few quick bites of their packed proviant – as much as they could wind around their wolf forms without slowing them down too much – they quickly moved forwards again.

Around noon, it finally stopped raining and the sun even showed itself, causing a wonderful warm prickle on Castiel’s cold back. He wondered for a moment what was happening in the palace right now. Had Michael already discovered his escape and was chasing after him with other alphas? Or were they thinking he was hiding somewhere and had only the servants looking for him in the palace? Castiel knew he was well liked among most of the staff, so he hoped they would take their time searching.

But in any case, his uncle would be fuming right now.

He stumbled at the thought of Michael, but Balthazar was close behind him, urging him on.

_Don’t think about them, Cassie. It won’t help you now._

Castiel turned around, surprised that his friend obviously knew what was going on in his mind, but the beta only winked.

 

>><< 

 

Three nights and most of three days, they had spent like that: Running, quick naps in shielded caves, getting hungrier every day since they only allowed themselves small portions.

But if any of them ever felt desperate, they did not let it show. Balthazar made jokes and flirted with Anna every time he started to shiver while the alpha countered with dry humour and repeatedly encouraged the other two by telling them how far they had come already.

Even though they were exhausted, the farther they got away from Heavensgate, the lighter the mood became. They had been on neutral but cragged grounds for two days now and had half the way behind them already – now, everything seemed possible.

Until the snow returned; brought on by harsh squalls.

At a moment’s notice, they were surrounded by white cold. Balthazar had troubles to find the way since there was no sun nor stars to help him navigate. On the fifth day, he admitted ashamedly that they had turned too far to the south. The beta had pulled his tail between his legs and ducked his head in shame, so Castiel nuzzled him gently.

_It’s not your fault, Balt. If not for you, we would have never made it this far._

Anna rapidly agreed, but the beta was not appeased.

_You don’t understand. We are on Roman land; that is dangerous. I had planned for us to run across Campbell territory – they are no less dangerous, but they can be bargained with. At least, we are still not on Winchester grounds. Imagine, what they would do with three Angyals, after what Michael and Lucifer had tried to do 20 years ago. Outstanding fighters, all of them._

It was Anna who tried to lift the mood again: _Then let’s try to keep out of everyone’s way. At least with the snow, no one should be wandering about. You have found your way again, Balthazar. This means we know where we are and can take the right direction from now on._

They tried to keep running, but the harsh weather had made it harder to move, and Castiel’s paws felt heavier with every step. Being as small as he was, his belly was scratching over the snow-covered ground. Soon, Anna was running ahead again, looking for a place where they could find shelter and wait out the worst of the storm.

What she could find was less of a cave than a small hole in a large rock, but it sufficed for the three of them to crawl into. They were huddled over each other to make it work, but with the cold, it even felt comforting.

As exhausted as they were, all three of them dozed off.

 

>><< 

 

Castiel was the first one to wake up, a repulsive scent tickling his nose. He opened his eyes and stiffened – the movement caused both Anna and Balthazar to wake up as well.

_Now, now, look what we have here. Strangers in our territory._

There was a big black wolf standing right in front of their cave – and the alpha grinned smugly. Castiel crouched down slightly and let his gaze roam over their surroundings. Three more wolves were lingering a few steps behind their smirking leader. Judging by their size, Castiel assumed they were alphas as well.

If it came to a fight, Castiel and his friends would be at a great disadvantage.

The tall wolf in front of them kept his eyes fixed on Castiel, hardly glancing at his two companions. He took in a deep breath and Castiel was sure he could smell that he was an omega – probably even that he was not claimed. Anna subtly stepped in front of her brother, bristling and curling back her lips.

_Oh, don’t look so upset, girl. I am sure we can all agree on some form of payment._

He still looked at Castiel.

Balthazar growled lowly and pushed Castiel farther into the cave, so that the omega was pressed to the wall and no longer able to see what was going on.

_We don’t mean any trouble. We have money. We are happy to pay for passage._

This time, Balthazar had spoken and there was a pause, long enough for Castiel to hope the other wolves would just take the money and leave them alone.

But then the wolf cackled, his mates joining in the scary sound that eerily echoed in the clear, cold air around them.

 _Oh, but I would rather have the omega._ Anna growled. _I am more than willing to fight for him, girl. But I have to say, never before have I challenged a female over an omega._ Even though he couldn’t see, Castiel could still hear the smirk in the alpha’s voice. _And after that, I will be happy to take your money as well._

Without another second of hesitation, Anna attacked. She took the other alpha by surprise and lunged straight at his throat. But of course, his comrades did not content themselves to simply watch, and they pounced on Anna, dragging her off their leader and making the female alpha wince in pain.

_Don’t hurt the omega. I want him in one piece!_

The voice of the black alpha wolf roared through Castiel’s whole body and he had to fight every instinct not to crouch in submission from the sheer force of it.

Balthazar was about to attack the hostile wolves and since no one was holding him back anymore, Castiel, of course, was ready to help his friends and join the fight. But just as he snapped at a hindleg of one of the hostile alphas, he felt a strong paw battering him to the side. He glanced up, and was surprised to see Balthazar.

_Run, Cassie._

Castiel could not believe what he had just heard, and he made no move away from the fight, but tried to pounce one of the wolves currently clawing at Balthazar’s side. Just to be slapped away from Balthazar once more – the beta yelled in pain since he had been so concentrated on Castiel, he had not noticed another alpha trying to snap at his stomach.

_Run, Castiel. We will find you._

He could hear his sister’s voice loud and clear in his head. He looked at the six battling wolves – four against two – and had no doubt what his friends were trying to do. But Castiel could not let them. This was all his fault. His friends were here just because of him. How stupid he had been. Now they might die, and he would undoubtedly be mounted by at least four alphas. Being mated to Zachariah could have hardly been worse than that.

He heard another painful scream from Anna and saw the deep bitemark on her throat. It didn’t take anything else for him to make a decision. He pounced on the battling wolves again and bit the black leader in one of his legs. Hard.

_You want me, catch me._

He let his voice reach all the hostile alphas, quickly turned around and started running.

Behind him Anna screamed – Balthazar made no noise at all, and that had Castiel worry even more.

But he tried not to think about his friends as he spurted on, tail tucked and ears laid back in fear. He tried not to think about anything, and pushed himself as fast as he could.

For some blissful moments, it seemed to work. Castiel was fast, he knew that, and even though he was trying to not think at all, his mind was already starting to paint a happy picture where he could outrun the two alphas on his tail while Anna and Balthazar were still miraculously healthy and had enough time to escape the other two wolves. And within the next hour, somehow, anyhow, they would meet again on a sunny warm clearing where they had enough time to catch their breath again.

A sharp pain on his back had him scream out suddenly. He felt a heavy weight pushing him down and his legs gave out under the pressure. Like that, the black alpha was draped over Castiel, effectively pinning him down.

 _Caught you_ , Castiel heard the smug voice as the alpha bit almost playfully into his ear. Like this had been just some amusing game.

The omega tried to fight his attacker off, clawing and biting at anything he could reach. But the alpha was too strong for him. His appalling scent made Castiel almost sick and he felt a wave of panic rise inside of him at the thought of what was inevitably about to happen. He nearly passed out when he felt another wolf biting at his shoulder, drawing blood. And then there was a loud whine as the black wolf kicked his companion away with a strong paw.

_You wait for your turn, George. I will have the first ride on that one._

Castiel tried one more time to sink his teeth into any body part of the black wolf on top of him, but it proved useless.

_You are a feisty one, aren’t you? Now bare that pretty neck for me._

Castiel only growled. If there was anything he had left, he would not show any signs of submission to his attacker, instead trying to battle him off as long as he could.

Then, suddenly, he heard a loud thud and the heavy weight was abruptly lifted off him.

The black alpha that had just battled him to the ground suddenly lay growling in the snow, next to his outraged companion.

Between them and Castiel stood a new wolf, a very large one, with light brown fur, reddish streaks and dark specks on his paws, tail and muzzle. The newcomer held himself in a seemingly relaxed dominant position, head held high and tail raised as his eyes fixated the black alpha.

 _You have no business here, Edgar. You are on Winchester territory,_ the new wolf growled in a deep rumbling voice.

 _I don’t seek any qualms with you. But the omega was on our land. We just followed him here._ The black wolf, Edgar, seemed uncertain what to do. The way he tried to argue with the newcomer, he seemed almost nervous not to aggravate him and he was avoiding direct eye contact. At the same time, he was crouching down as if to prepare an attack.

The brown alpha turned his head and observed Castiel for a moment – and the omega could only imagine how defeated he must have looked. Still flat on the ground, cuts everywhere, breathing heavily, eyes wide.

His gaze met the alpha’s and Castiel felt a pang of electricity shot through his whole body as well as the urge to bare his neck. But before he could move in any way, the wolf had turned fully towards the other alphas again.

_Makes no difference where he came from. He is on Winchester land now and you better leave, unless you want to fight me, of course._

The way the alpha cocked his head lightly to the side and slowly trotted a few steps towards the intruders was nothing short of cocky.

Edgar sent one last glance towards Castiel, then turned around wordlessly and walked in the direction they had come from, his companion following behind.

The brown alpha turned slowly around and watched Castiel for a moment. The omega gave in to his instincts this time and tipped his head to the side as far as he could on the ground, leaving his battered throat open. The alpha’s eyes widened, and he stepped slowly towards Castiel.

The omega suddenly noticed a movement behind the alpha, and he yelped anxiously. Just in time, the brown wolf turned around before Edgar was able to claw into his back. George joined in and both alphas tried to overpower the brown wolf together.

But even if there were two of them, they had no chance against the large alpha, who seemingly fought them off with ease. He had soon inflicted a heavy wound on the grey wolf, who stumbled away, obviously recognizing their defeat and trying to make it out alive. Edgar soon followed, bleeding heavily from his stomach, and Castiel was not so sure whether the black wolf would live to see the next day. He was not feeling particularly bad at that prospect.

The brown alpha was starting towards Castiel again, this time spots of blood around his muzzle. Before he reached Castiel, however, there was a rustling sound in the bushes next to them, and a second later, two more wolves appeared.

Castiel let out a low whine. He seemed to have escaped one horrific fate, just to find himself in another hopeless situation.

The newcomers were another alpha with chocolate brown fur and a female beta, black with white specks all over her.

The female’s eyes widened when she took in the bleeding omega as well as the wrought up looking alpha.

_Dean. What happened?_

_Some Roman wolves happened. They obviously chased this omega and didn’t notice they were crossing borders._ His voice sounded furious, and Castiel supposed it was caused by a mixture of territorial claim and the rush of the fight.

With the alpha’s words, everyone’s attention was suddenly fixed on Castiel, and he flinched slightly under the gauging looks.

The dark alpha, who had been silent this far, was the first to react. He stepped towards Castiel: _Are you hurt, cher?_

Castiel automatically flinched away from him, towards the other alpha who had just saved him from his attackers. How much that was worth remained to be seen.

The dark alpha stopped in his steps, and instead, the female beta slowly approached him and bowed her head down to the level of Castiel’s. She did not scare him half as much as the two alphas.

 _It is all right. You are safe now. My name is Jody, the two alphas are Dean_ – she nodded in the direction of the light brown wolf – _and Benny. What is your name? Are you in pain?_

Castiel pulled himself up a little, trying to find a more dignified position where he didn’t look so much like he was ready to get mounted any second. The presence of the gentle beta helped him to catch his breath for a moment.

_Castiel. And the wound on my shoulder hurts, but otherwise I am fine._

It was true – Castiel was exhausted and he didn’t think he could walk far until he had a good long sleep. But he had no severe wounds. Or maybe, he was just too much in shock to notice.

The beta looked at him with furrowed brows for a moment, like she was doubting his words. She then glanced up at the sky and only now did Castiel notice that it had started to snow again. Jody turned to him once more with a warm smile.

_Castiel. That is a beautiful name, dear. Would you mind letting me paw you up a bit, looking for severe injuries._

Castiel nodded, while his mind was still trying to catch up onto everything that had happened since he woke up. Soon, he felt a surprisingly gentle paw and a cool nose stroking up and down his body. He yelped and looked away in embarrassment when the beta licked lightly at a deep scratch on his belly – and met the gaze of the brown wolf. Dean.

Dean watched him stone-faced, but Castiel had the feeling the alpha was still in the mood to attack anyone in the next minute. He lowered his gaze to the ground, not wanting to aggravate his alpha more than necessary.

His alpha.

Castiel had a bitter taste in his mouth at the thought. But the alpha had just overwhelmed his rivals in a fight over the omega, Castiel. And, as exhausted as he was, with two more wolves who made no attempt to challenge Dean’s claim, Castiel could hardly see a way out of his situation. For now.

At least, this alpha seemed less appalling to him than the black one from before, Edgar.

_I don’t think there are any severe damages. Mostly small scratches and bruises. He seems malnourished as well. But I am not a healer, so we should have Missouri check him over as soon as we get home._

_Can you walk?_ Those were the first words Dean directed at him, his tone curt.

Castiel nodded hesitantly. But not to lie to the alpha, he added: _But not for long._

Dean let out a grunt and quickly exchanged looks with the other two wolves.

 _Let’s find a cave and stay there during the night. Tomorrow we can go back home._ He looked down at Castiel _. Come on._

Castiel had no other choice than to stand and do as he was told. When he swaggered a bit, he was surprised that Dean was suddenly at his side, supporting him until Castiel could move on his own.

He could go with this alpha and do anything he had to survive.

Then he would find a way to escape again and search for his friends.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case anyone is wondering – everything that might or might not happen between Cas and Dean will be consensual. :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here’s the last non-Thursday instalment. ;)

Chapter THREE

 

Castiel assumed they could not have walked for longer than fifteen minutes. Still, it had felt like an eternity to him. At first, it seemed easy enough, and the other wolves trotted so slowly that he could keep up without much effort. But soon, his steps turned shaky and the cold made his teeth chatter. He was grateful when Dean was walking up closely beside him, and with every step, the omega leaned more into the warm wolf.

When he shivered from the cold, Dean even rubbed his head over Castiel’s back and the omega was surprised to realise how safe and warm the action made him feel.

He had just recently met the first alphas outside of his family and Castiel had been starting to think that all of them reeked obnoxiously. Dean didn’t. Dean smelled like a warm crackling fire. Or maybe Castiel was just so cold he would associate everything mildly pleasant with warmth right now.

When they arrived in the cave, Castiel’s shaky legs gave out completely and he just sank to the floor, rolling in on himself to keep as warm as possible. For the moment, he had forgotten to fear whether the alpha would now demand anything from him. He was simply cold and tired and hungry. He was also not sure he could keep his eyes open for much longer, and the fatigue that suddenly claimed him did not leave any room for fear.

Still, he startled when he felt something at his back and was shocked to notice Dean had curled up around him. Castiel’s breath hitched when he felt Dean throw a paw over his belly, pulling him close to the alpha.

_Just relax, Castiel. You’re safe now. Sleep, and we’ll keep you warm._

In a sleepy haze, Castiel realised that Jody had lain down on his other side, not as close as Dean but close enough to feel her body heat. When Benny made to join the pile of fur, Castiel shrank back involuntarily. But Dean just tightened his grip on him, and oddly enough, Castiel felt protected. Benny looked at him almost calculating, and in the end, he lay down on Jody’s other side. As far away from the omega as the small cave allowed.

Castiel could hear the others talk lowly, but the words didn’t reach his tired mind.

 

>><< 

 

Castiel awoke from a pleasant tickling on his side. He opened one eye momentarily and was relieved to notice it was still dark. No need to get up yet. He curled himself further into the wonderful warmth around him, almost purring at the sensation.

Until the tickle on his side returned.

This time, Castiel opened both eyes, and the moonlight was just enough for him to slowly realise what was causing the soft sensation. He was still confused for another second, until memories rushed down on him.

He was not in his bed, not even in the palace, and he was not in human form either. And there was a strange alpha, nosing at him. Castiel automatically rolled fully to his back and presented his belly to the alpha, unconsciously adopting the submissive posture. Dean let out a pleased rumble, and to Castiel’s surprise, the alpha started to lick at his wounds. It felt pleasant and soothing on his battered body.

Castiel was undecided what he should do when the tongue suddenly hit a spot that hurt, and he hissed out in sudden pain.

_I’m sorry._

Dean blew over the wound lightly and just moved on to lick over the next scratch he could find. For Castiel, this whole scene felt very odd. For one, he had to admit both the way the alpha attended to his wounds and his warmth were quite comforting, but at the same time, he wondered what the alpha was playing at. Did he want to clean Castiel before he would take him?

Castiel shivered at the thought, and Dean let up from his wounds to curl around him again, halfway dropped over him; but his weight only felt like a warm blanket to the omega.

_You getting cold again?_

Castiel shook his head no, not daring to speak with the alpha so close to him. Would he start something now? The other two wolves seemed to be in deep slumber as far as Castiel could tell.

Dean grunted lowly, and Castiel could feel a paw rubbing over his ribcage.

_When is the last time you have eaten?_

_Yesterday. Alpha._ Castiel answered courteously. If he wanted to get out of this situation and ever find his friends again, he should try and seem as compliant as possible. Then maybe the alpha would not hurt him. At least, Castiel had just been in heat mere weeks ago – so there was no danger of becoming pregnant within the next couple of months. It would be hard to run, carrying a child.

Dean huffed. _Maybe I should have asked how much you ate. You’re only skin and bones._

_Our rations were nearly at an end,_ Castiel answered in a level tone.

Our _rations? You have been with a pack?_

Oh, stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. He did not want to draw any attention to Anna or Balthazar. If they had been able to escape the Roman alphas, he did not want the Winchesters to start hunting after them.

He had taken too long to form an answer, and when Dean asked him again, he could hear the frown in the alpha’s voice: _You came here with a pack, Cas? Where are the others?_

Castiel could understand the alpha’s suspiciousness. No pack wanted strangers in their territory. It was dangerous to ever cross a claimed land, because the inhabitant pack would see any other wolves on their grounds as a threat – Castiel and his friends had just learned how wolves would see intruders as fair game.

The wheels in Castiel’s head turned rapidly. He could not tell the truth. For one, the Winchesters and the Angyal family had a bloody history. Castiel was even ready to admit that his family was the villain of the story – after all, they had been the first to attack. So, he should better not tell the alpha who he was. On the other side, the story of an omega who – with the help of a couple of friends – had run from their intended alpha would hardly stir any sympathy in another alpha.

Castiel realised the longer he waited with an answer, the more suspicious Dean would become, so he just said what came to his mind first:

_My pack, they are… gone. I come from a nomad family. At the last city where we found work… there had been a drowned pup and the townspeople thought it was our fault. They hunted us and most of my pack ended up dead or badly injured._ Castiel had read about the harsh life of nomads in many books, so the story seemed credible enough to him _. Only three of us were able to escape, until we accidentally crossed Roman land and the other wolves…_ Castiel gulped. _…they killed my family._

Castiel prayed to any God up there that he had not told the truth just now. He prayed that Anna and Balthazar had somehow made it out. Still, he felt tears running down his face. Dean nuzzled his ears and the gesture felt comforting. Like something Anna would do.

_I am sorry, Cas. For your losses. You can find a new home with us. But let’s get you back on your feet first._

Castiel was confused about the phrasing for a moment. A new home. Not even Zachariah had offered him a _home_. And Dean had still not made any attempt to claim Castiel as he was merely starting to lick his wounds again. Castiel felt grateful for the alpha’s presence. He was finally warm again, and he hurt much less than before.

Like he had been taught since he was a child, Castiel tipped his head to the side as much as he was able to in his position, baring his throat to the alpha as a sign of respect and gratitude.

He had imagined for Dean to at least slightly nip at his neck or something of the kind, but not for the alpha to flinch back until he was not touching the omega anymore, almost standing up. Castiel whined involuntarily, the sudden loss of the warm body heat making him feel cold once more.

Hesitantly, Dean lay down again and gently rubbed his nose along Castiel’s throat. It was the first time an alpha other than his sister or uncle was leaning into his neck, and Castiel had to admit it felt oddly assuring.

Suddenly, there was a loud hum behind Castiel and the omega jumped; Dean only chuckled. The sound repeated itself, and Castiel realised it came from Benny – the alpha had turned around in his sleep and was now snoring loudly.

Thinking about the other alpha, Castiel’s fear sparked up again.

_I… ah… I am untouched._

He suddenly blurted out. By Farkas, had he really just said that? But he knew pure omegas were considered more valuable. And he hoped that Dean would not share him with anyone. Since the other alpha, Benny, had not challenged him yet, he supposed Dean’s claim was final.

Just as he had said the words, Dean pulled back again and studied Castiel wordlessly. It was too dark for the omega to be able to see the look in Dean’s eyes, and he was becoming nervous when Dean just watched him for long seconds.

In the end, the alpha chuckled lightly and rested his head on Castiel’s shoulder.

_You have just been through a lot, Cas. You should try to sleep some more. Tomorrow, we need to get back to the castle._

And Castiel dozed off again, while he could still feel Dean’s teeth gently combing over some knots on his fur.

 

>><< 

 

The next time Castiel woke up, he felt a lot better, physically at least. It didn’t take him as long to figure out where he was as it had last night. Dean was not plastered to his back any more, but Castiel was still not freezing. And one look towards the opening of the cave told him that it had stopped snowing.

_Morning, Sunshine._ Jody was grinning down at him. _Mind if I check you over again?_

Castiel just nodded and rolled on his side so Jody could reach most of his bruised places. The two alphas were not in the cave anymore, but Castiel could still feel the warmth of Dean’s body on him, so he guessed they had not been gone for too long.

When Jody was done – and Castiel had not twitched half as much as he had the day before – the omega raised to his feet and made a few steps around the cave. He was glad to notice that his limbs felt a lot more flexible again. He would not be able to run through a whole night any time soon, but at least he was mobile again.

_You look a lot better._

_I feel better a lot better, too._ Castiel almost smiled.

_Then we only have to get some food inside of you when we return back home._

Castiel nodded his head in gratitude and the beta playfully licked him over one ear. Castiel froze a second, not used to such behaviour, but then again, he was not used to being in wolf form to start with. Where he came from, alphas and betas only shifted to fight. Castiel knew, that changing form was handled quite differently in different packs, and from the lack of reaction to an omega in wolf form, he assumed it was rather common in the Winchester pack. Balthazar had reported once that the eastern packs generally had no such strict rules towards shifting and assumed any form that suited them best for a task. Castiel wondered if they even hunted their food. Maybe that was the reason those three were out here at the border. Dean looked like he could be a hunter.

In Heavensgate, the habitants mainly nourished from livestock and no one hunted outside of festive occasions – except for the poor who sometimes had no other chance than to poach the forests. It was highly prohibited, but Castiel had heard stories of starving children and he could understand what made a parent resort to this option, despite Michael’s wrath when caught.

Castiel had always had a weird obsession with hunting. His books explained that wolves were perfect predators and why not use the skill? Also, food or shared meals held a very powerful symbolism in pack cultures, most of them remnants from the Old Ways. For example, the strongest alpha of the pack would still generally get the first bite. But in the past, lead alphas had mostly been prudent to share their food and care for those who could not hunt themselves – the only thing at Heavensgate that was echoing this tradition was a weekly donation to the poor. Otherwise, Michael had never been too keen to look after all his subjects equally. Castiel had also read that in the Old Ways alphas would hunt down prey and deliver it to their mates to show that they could provide for them. These days, the custom had been twisted: The alpha would still offer their omega mate food – but the act was not caring but simply another sign of superiority. Castiel had mostly eaten in a small group, but whenever he had attended a big feast, he had only been allowed to eat the food Michael had handed him. And of course, lately, he had been constantly reminded that in the future, he was only to eat whatever Zachariah offered him.

Castiel shuddered lightly and then noticed that Jody was studying him intently. He tried to focus on his current situation again and stretched his whole body before he followed Jody outside, trying not to obsess about hunting and food.

Dean and Benny were waiting a few feet away and when Dean’s gaze met his, Castiel noticed a warm expression in the alpha’s eyes.

_You feeling up for a walk?_

Castiel nodded, looking shyly to the ground as he remembered their intimate contact last night.

_You need to relieve yourself first?_ It was Jody who asked, matter-of-factly.

Again, Castiel nodded, this time clearly embarrassed, but Jody just pointed her head to some nearby bushes.

A second later, Castiel found himself alone, no one was watching him, and just for a moment, he thought about running. Maybe if he was very quick, they wouldn’t catch him, would start after him too late. But on the other hand, he had no idea where he was. He did not know in which direction he had left Anna and Balthazar behind or how he was supposed to find Gabriel on his own. It was cold, he had no food and could not hunt. In this hostile circumstance, he would not survive one week – even if he wasn’t attacked again.

And Dean seemed decent. He had not tried to mount him while Castiel had been weak. They had even talked about getting him something to eat. And if Dean was possessive enough, as most alphas were, he would not share Castiel with anyone else. And after a while, he could try to escape – after some in-depth planning.

They started to move, Dean leading the way, followed by Castiel and Jody; Benny being the last in line.

Once, Castiel stumbled over loose stones, but before he could sprain his leg, Benny had caught him. The chocolate brown wolf was leading Castiel around a swale – but no matter how gently he had touched him, Castiel was still scared the alpha might make any advances, and he shrank back with a low whimper.

Dean reacted imminently to the sound. He turned around and snapped warningly at Benny with a loud clap of his teeth – having the other alpha stare at him in disbelief. Dean bristled lightly and straightened himself to full height. Castiel was scared for a second that the alphas would start a fight, but to his surprise, Benny covered in on himself, trying to make himself look as small as possible, obviously not wanting to challenge Dean in any way.

_Easy, brother. I was just trying to help._

Dean turned towards Castiel and licked over his ear once. Castiel, grateful that Dean obviously had no intention to let anyone else touch him, bared his throat to Dean.

This time, the alpha did not hesitate like he had last night, but nuzzled into Castiel with a low rumble.

Then he turned around wordlessly and trotted forward again. Castiel glanced up and caught Benny and Jody exchanging meaningful looks. Jody was definitely having an amused glint in her eyes, while Benny still looked stunned. But then he just shrugged and flashed Jody a grin. The sudden exposure of fangs had Castiel concentrate his gaze on the trail again.

They trotted along for over three hours until they reached the gates of a city. For the last half hour, they had occasionally met a couple of other wolves as well as people, who all had greeted Dean heartily.

It had made Castiel wonder, not for the first time, if the alpha was someone special. According to the fact that he had been running through the forest in a small group, Castiel had assumed he was some kind of hunter or a warrior, guarding the border. A respected one, of course, judging from his obvious strength and the way he postured with his tail high and his ears forward – but now Castiel assumed there was more to it.

That suspicion just intensified when he suddenly heard a group of children, all in wolf form, running up next to them.

_Oh look, Ava, it’s Dean!_

_Hello, Dean! Have you been fighting off some evil monsters?_

Dean let his tongue loll out playfully.

_Of course I have. Always hunting something. This time, it was a terrible alpha that set out to eat little pups._

The children shrieked in delight and ran back into the woods just as Castiel and the other adults were trotting through the bit gate – the gatekeepers just waved them through.

Behind him, Castiel could still hear the children yell around.

_You heard it, Ava? Dean battled with an evil alpha! I bet he tore him to pieces! No one will get past Dean Winchester!_

Castiel heard Benny puff out an amused laugh behind him, just at the same time as his feet refused to work anymore.

Dean Winchester?

At his sudden halt, Jody nearly stumbled over him. _What’s up, dear?_

Without thinking, he asked: _Dean Winchester?_

Jody chuckled. _Oh, didn’t you know that? That is our lead alpha right there._

She waved her head dismissively in Dean’s direction who had stopped and watched Castiel with an amused smirk in his eyes.

Castiel’s world tumbled for a second. He had been captured by the head alpha of the strong Winchester pack? His hope of running away diminished in an instant.

At the same time, he was glad he had not told Dean he was of the Angyal family last night.

Castiel noticed that all three wolves were grinning at him, and he just let his head drop a bit lower and started after Dean again.

The group walked through rows of simple houses and a wide market place, where geese merchants and craftsmen caused a broad concoction of sounds and smells. Castiel noticed that everything seemed more colourful than in Heavensgate, the delicious scents from all around were making his stomach grumble, and everyone seemed cheerful. The way Dean and his companions were greeted from all sides startled Castiel. Most of them in human form, the townsmen obviously had no difficulty to recognize the wolves and greeted them affectionately.

This was very different from whenever Michael was seen outside palace grounds – the people were expected to bend a knee and hail their alpha. No one would ever dare to just wave their hands or call their alpha by his given name.

Finally, the group arrived at the castle – the last part of their journey had somehow seemed a lot longer to Castiel than the three hours before. But the closer they got to their goal, the more nervous Castiel became.

The castle itself was impressive – but in a very different way than the palace Castiel had grown up in. His home was a bright white building that reached high into the sky. He didn’t know how his ancestors had even been able to build such impressive towers, but he did know how many servants it took to keep the place clean. Heavensgate was clearly built to impress – to show off the incredible wealth of the Angyal family and to intimidate everyone who wanted to make a request or even considered attacking.

The Winchester Castle was a lot simpler. It was by no means beautiful, there were few decorations or radiant colours. At the same time, it seemed solid and safe, impregnable even – and from what Castiel had read in history books, it very nearly was. After all, his own family had tried and failed to subdue the warrior pack. As well as many others. From what Balthazar had told Castiel, the Winchesters had gained more allies in the last couple of years, and it would be insanely stupid to try another assault. As far as Castiel remembered, the leader of the pack had been John Winchester; but that had been nearly twenty years ago – Dean must be his son. Castiel studied Dean for a moment. If he had to guess, the alpha was a couple of years older than him – and Castiel wondered how much he remembered of the battle with the Angyal family.

As soon as the group reached the castle, they were greeted by a stern looking woman, and Castiel was shocked when Dean changed his form to talk to her. He had often envied Anna for how easily she shifted compared to him, but Dean hardly took a second. He also did not seem to be in any form of pain. Castiel looked at the alpha in astonishment.

And then, he very much tried not to stare. Of course, Dean was naked. That was one of the reasons his family claimed shape shifting as inappropriate – you could not do it with clothes. And Castiel had to admit he would not have liked for just anyone to see him nude.

Dean, however, did not seem to have any such problems. Castiel did not hear what the alpha said to the woman and neither could he guess from body language or expressions – since he had his eyes glued to the floor. The only thing he could see was the cold stone floor and Dean’s bare feet. He wondered for a second whether the alpha was freezing.

Then suddenly, Dean was in wolf form again.

_Come on, Cas. I’ll show you to your room._

Castiel froze for a second, scared to follow the alpha. Jody nudged his side lightly. _See you later, Castiel._

And Castiel followed Dean hesitantly. They trotted up the stairs, Dean glancing at Castiel every other second as Castiel’s steps slowed down involuntarily. His mouth had turned as dry as a desert.

The omega had no idea how many stairs they had taken or how often they had turned left or right – he would have never been able to find the room again. After one hour or just one minute, Dean stopped at a door, and Castiel still held his gaze to the floor. Until he felt a cold nose at his muzzle. He shrieked back and looked up at Dean with wide eyes.

_Here’s your room, Cas. I’ll have someone bring you food, and then you should get some sleep. You look like you need both. And I better have Missouri look you over; she is our healer._

It took a while for the words to sink in. Food and sleep? That sounded like paradise, but was not what Castiel had expected.

_If Missouri thinks you are well enough, I will pick you up for dinner tonight. And just so you know what I look like…_

Without warning, Dean changed into human form again – and this time, Castiel did look. He tried not to stare at certain areas, though, and directly lifted his eyes to Dean’s face. The alpha was remarkably handsome – and had a smug smile tugging at his lips.

“See you tonight, Cas.”

Dean opened the door and left. Again, Castiel tried very hard not to stare as the naked alpha walked away from him, changing form easily in mid-step.

 

>><< 

 

As soon as Castiel stepped into the room, he changed to human form. Unlike Dean, it took the omega a couple of minutes to shift completely –  his exhausted body made it even more painful than usual. Luckily, as soon as the change was completed, the pain always stopped and only left him groggy.

He took a deep breath and simply let himself fall on the bed. He could not have said how much time had passed since he fell in a light doze as soon as he landed on the soft covers, but he was very alert again when he heard a knock on his door.

“Yes?” His voice quivered.

The door opened and in walked a sturdy looking woman. Behind her was a whole league of servants and Castiel quickly pulled a blanked over himself to cover his still naked body.

“Hello, Castiel. My name is Missouri. I am here to see if you have any dangerous wounds or infections.”

The servants entered behind her. One had a tray with a glass and a bowl on it. Castiel’s stomach growled just from the smell that reached his nose. Another servant held a bundle of clothes in hands and three boys carried buckets of steaming water.

For the first time, Castiel looked around the room. It was a lot smaller than what he was used to, but it looked cosy and he noticed the warmth radiating from the floor and walls. The bed he lay on was comfortable – but then again, he had not slept in a bed for a week now, so probably everything would have seemed soft – there was a huge closet on the side and a small table with two chairs. At the wall was also a dresser with pots and brushes. And halfway concealed by a paravan was a wooden tub, which the servants just started to fill with warm water.

Less than three minutes later, the group had left again and Castiel was alone with the woman who had introduced herself as Missouri.

The beta slowly approached Castiel, like one would a nervous animal – and Castiel assumed he looked about as anxious as he felt.

Missouri raised an eyebrow: “Nothing there that I haven’t seen before, son.”

Castiel realised he was still holding onto the blanked like a lifeline. He loosened his grip and the beta gently drew the fabric away so Castiel was sitting nude at the end of the bed. He still had not said anything, and the beta just looked him over for a moment. Castiel looked down at himself as well and saw the bruises and scratches on his body. All in all, he looked a lot better than he had expected – after running through the cold for days, hardly any food, and of course the fight with two alphas.

“At least that alpha cleaned everything properly.”

Castiel blushed deeply at that offhand remark, remembering Dean licking at his wounds.

Missouri slowly let her hands wander over his body and in the end asked him to stand up for a second, so she could look him up from both sides.

“I don’t see anything that looks too dangerous. I suggest, you take a bath right away to warm up completely. I put some soothing herbs in the water. Afterwards, I am going to patch up the wounds on your shoulder and your stomach. You are young and healthy; with enough sleep and food, you should be able to heal quickly.”

Castiel just nodded, still overwhelmed with the whole situation, and hesitantly stepped into the tub. As soon as he sat down and was covered with the warm water, he let out a blissful sigh. Nothing could compete with a hot bath – especially not after the cold of the last days.

“There you go, son. That’s much better, isn’t it?” The beta pulled a stool next to the tub and added: “So, Dean says you were running from some Roman alphas when he found you?”

Castiel nodded.

“Not much of a talker, are you?”

“I am sorry. I just…” Castiel stopped, not sure what he was about to say.

“It’s all right. You have been through a lot. As I understand, you have been wandering around in a nomad pack and lost all your family as well…?”

Castiel nodded again and Missouri looked so intently at him that Castiel was sure she could see right behind the lie. In the end, the beta only sighed.

“Whatever happened in your past is your past.” She said ominously. “You have a new home now.”

After the bath, Missouri treated Castiel’s wounds and handed him some clothes.

“Now eat. Dean had been insistent that you need some food – and seeing your skinny form, I completely agree. Afterwards, I will leave you alone, so you can sleep.”

Castiel looked at the delicious smelling food tray again. There was cheese and bread as well as eggs and a pot of still lukewarm soup. Castiel hesitated for a second, not sure whether he was allowed to. He did not want to make a mistake. Where he came from, it was all right to accept food from an alpha second-hand, but he had recently been taught that it was forbidden in the Adler pack. He would only have been allowed to eat whatever his alpha handed him personally.

But Dean had told him that he would send food up and Missouri also mentioned Dean – and that was good enough for Castiel. Again, he let out a moan and enjoyed every single bite.

“Slow down, Castiel. No one is going to steal it away before you are finished.”

Castiel frowned in embarrassment, but the beta only chuckled.

When Castiel was finished, Missouri told him again to lie down and sleep. She picked up the empty tray and left. Just before she could close the door, Castiel mumbled: “Thank you, Missouri.”

She gifted him with a warm smile. “It is all right. Rest now. You are safe here.”

Castiel tugged the blanked tightly around himself and was fast asleep in a moment, despite the uncertainty of his future.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter FOUR

 

Castiel’s nose was filled with a disgusting scent that nearly made him vomit.

He opened his eyes, but could not see anything.

There was only white around him.

He heard a loud scream and realised in panic that it had come from Anna.

He tried to run towards the sound and help his sister, but there was a heavy weight on his back that made it impossible for him to move.

He felt sharp teeth sinking into his shoulder.

_Caught you._

 

Castiel sat upright in his bed, cold sweat covering his body, heartbeat racing. He looked around, confused, and slowly realised he was no longer amidst the cold, nor was he in imminent danger.

But he was also no longer with his friends.

Just yesterday, he had been with his sister and his best friend, cuddling together in a cave against the cold – and now he was in a castle among strangers, and Farkas knows where his friends had ended up.

He had no idea whether or not Anna and Balthazar were even still alive. But he held onto the hope that they would have been able to fight off the remaining two alphas and were now on their way to Gabriel’s, without him. He hoped they were not still looking for him but rather tried to save themselves.

A knock on the door ripped him from his thoughts and reminded him of the fact that he had to worry about himself as well. He was with the Winchester pack now – a pack that had been attacked by his family in the past and would not be pleased to have an Angyal among them. Castiel was glad he had lied to the head alpha, who had captured him – unfortunately, it had not been a good lie.

But he could hardly change that now.

 “Come in,” Castiel answered while he sat up, pulling the blanket off him, trying to look presentable. He was still wearing the soft cotton trousers and the white tunic from before, too tired to change again before he fell asleep. But they were not wrinkled, and he had stopped sweating. His heartbeat had calmed down, and Castiel hoped he did not look as timid as he felt.

In stepped Dean, in human form, but fortunately, this time he was dressed. He wore brown leather pants and a dark green shirt with heavy boots. The alpha looked impressive – strength radiating from his body. He was also even more handsome than Castiel had noticed before.

Green eyes, strong jawline, rugged stubble, sensuous lips and light freckles painted an almost perfect face. His body was muscular but not bulky, and he was tall, like most alphas, but not as tall as his wolf would imply. Castiel assumed that, standing up, he would not be that much shorter than Dean.

The omega was surprised by the simple clothes Dean wore – most influential alphas at his home dressed in flashy colours, heels and precious fur coats. The most valuable part of Dean’s outfit seemed to be the artful knife on his belt.

“Hey, Cas.” The alpha flashed a smile that had his eyes crinkle – and made him look even more attractive than before. “You feeling better?”

“Yes, alpha, thank you.” Castiel answered, and Dean frowned.

“You can call me Dean. We are not that formal around here.”

Castiel’s eyes widened, but he nodded anyway. He had already noticed how everyone had addressed the lead alpha by his given name. It might be different from the Angyal way, but he assumed it did not matter how you called someone.

“I wanted to get you to join dinner with us. If you feel like you are up for it, that is.”

“Of course. Dean.” Castiel answered since he assumed it was expected of him.

Despite his words, Dean closed the door behind him, walked towards Castiel and sat on the chair nearest to his bed.

“I know you come from a small pack, so… dinner can be really loud here. Just so you are prepared. We try to eat together once a day and the hall is quite full. You can sit beside me, if you want, so you won’t feel lost among so many strangers. And I would like to introduce you to some people, so you will know your way around a little.”

This time, Castiel just nodded. There was a short, awkward pause.

“I hope you had enough sleep and feel stronger.”

“Yes, Dean, I feel much better. Thank you.”

Dean made a dismissive wave with his hand, but Castiel was still grateful. The alpha had made sure he was fed and clothed and even cared for his wounds. To demonstrate his gratitude, and to not appear disrespectful, Castiel tipped his head to the side and exposed his throat to the alpha.

He could see Dean’s eyes widen for a second, and then a pleased grin spread over his face –  so, obviously, Castiel must have done something right. But still, Dean made no move to mark him. Instead, the alpha suddenly looked a bit flustered, cleared his throat and stood. “We better go now, or else there might not be anything left.”

Dean chuckled, but it seemed a bit forced, and Castiel stood as well, a bit confused. He looked down at himself, wondering for a second if he was dressed for the occasion, but he felt quite comfortable in these clothes, and since Dean hadn’t said anything… He put on the leather shoes next to his bed and tried to prepare himself to deal with whatever the night had in store for him – both during dinner as well as afterwards.

He followed Dean to the dining hall and was surprised by the size of it, or rather the number of people it held. Five large wooden tables were positioned in the hall, four lengthwise in a row and the last table was at the end of the room, overseeing the whole space. Castiel was not surprised that Dean led him towards that last table. On the way, they were greeted a few times, and Dean introduced Castiel as their newest pack member. Castiel was surprised by the phrase, but he only nodded wordlessly at any person he met.

At Dean’s table, Castiel was introduced to quite a number of people, and he tried to memorise all their names. There was Jody again – Castiel had no trouble recognizing her in human form, with the same wicked glint in her eyes – as well as Benny, who only nodded at Castiel. After Dean had snapped at him this morning, he had acted even more reluctant towards Castiel than before.

The omega also met Dean’s brother Sam, a beta who seemed to be suspiciously happy to see Castiel – as was his mate, Jess. Castiel stared at the female for a moment, because she was an omega. It was not often that a beta would be allowed to mate an omega – alphas mostly wanted them for themselves. But sometimes, influential families could form an alliance this way, and Castiel assumed Sam was allowed to mate an omega only because he was the brother of the lead alpha and obviously a prestigious member of the pack.  Whatever the reason, the couple seemed kind and acted very affectionate towards each other.

There was also an elder alpha named Bobby, who did not say all that much during the evening, and at Jody’s side two girls were seated, the alpha Claire and the beta Alex. Castiel was also introduced to the betas Kevin, Ellen and Jo. Ellen was the woman Dean had spoken to when they had first arrived at the gate. From what Castiel could make out by scent, Ellen and Bobby were mates, and Jo was Ellen’s daughter but not Bobby’s.

There was another couple at the table, and if Castiel had been surprised to see Sam and Jess mated, it was no comparison to how astonished he was now. The cheery omega Charlie, who greeted Castiel enthusiastically, was obviously the mate of Dorothy, a female alpha. Now, Castiel knew that some betas would be allowed to claim an omega – but a female alpha? Omegas’ most important duty was to conceive children – but female alphas could not sire them. Was Charlie barren, and so they gave her to a female alpha?

Of course, Castiel would have never asked these questions out loud, but he studied Charlie longer than was probably polite. As soon as he noticed how hostile Dorothy looked at him, however – obviously she did not like his staring – he lowered his gaze.

Castiel greeted everyone he was introduced to politely, but otherwise, he only said anything when someone directed a question at him. Since he did not know the pack’s rules of behaviour, he would be content to observe for a while – and he was generally not too chatty around strangers.

To his surprise, Dean indicated for him to sit on his left side, while Sam was seated on the alpha’s right. Castiel was especially glad to see that Jody sat on the other side of him – while he had the alpha Bobby vis-á-vis.

Soon, the servants brought the food and set pots with soup and trays of roasted meat and cooked vegetables as well as delicious smelling, freshly baked bread on the table. Castiel’s stomach started to growl.

Dean picked up a plate, and Castiel waited; as did everyone else in the wide room. It was a common ritual that the highest-ranking alpha would get the first bite. Then followed the other alphas, the betas, and at the very last the omegas. It was an old custom that held its roots in times when the pack had to hunt in wolf-form, and it was still often practised, no matter how much food there was – especially when in company. Of course, whenever Castiel ate only with Anna, Balthazar or his governess Hannah, they would not abide to those rules, and even in small family dinners with Michael, the alpha would be less strict.

But since there was a hall full of people, Castiel was not surprised when Dean loaded a plate full of a ridiculous amount of meat and potatoes while everyone else waited but still chatted on. Castiel was _very_ surprised, however, when Dean offered him the plate, announcing: “I don’t know what you like, so I tried to put a bit of everything on.”

At that exact moment, all the noise in the room stopped, and suddenly, you could have heard a pin drop. The plate hovering in front of him, Castiel could only stare for a moment. Dean, plate still in hands, furrowed his brows, and Castiel did not want to upset him, so despite his confusion, he took the food from the alpha’s hands and mumbled: “Thank you.”

At that, the noise in the hall returned, louder than before – there was a certain excitement in the room, and Castiel wondered if everyone else was just as surprised at Dean’s actions as he was. But obviously, they all took it as a sign to start dinner, because everyone began to load their plates full. Except for Dean. The alpha was still looking at Castiel.

“What are you waiting for, Cas? Dig in.”

Hesitantly, Castiel picked up a fork and started to eat. Michael would have never granted him such a big portion. Seeing as omegas were not supposed to need much nourishment – or in other words: were meant to stay as skinny as possible. But omegas were also not supposed to run around in the cold in their wolf-form for days. Castiel ate with enthusiasm, especially the different kinds of meat that he was seldom allowed. It was delicious.

Only after Castiel had started, Dean loaded an equally big amount of food on his own plate.

When the omega was about halfway through his meal, the others started a heated discussion about their boarders and whether they needed to secure them more closely. Obviously, Benny had just been assigned to pick a couple of wolves to scout the territory.

“We can’t have the Romans closing in on us again. This is the second incident in the last month,” Dorothy just said.

Castiel’s appetite was suddenly reduced when he realised that this _incident_ was him being chased by Roman alphas. Which had them trespass Winchester territory.

“I don’t think it had anything to do with our territory this time.” Bobby grunted out and looked pointedly at Castiel. Everyone else’s gaze followed, and the omega was starting to feel highly uncomfortable – until he felt a warm hand on his arm. Dean smiled down at him, and Castiel felt a light flutter in his stomach.

“I agree. This was not meant as an attack on us. But still, better safe than sorry. We should also warn the Campbells, and ask them whether they had had any trouble with the Roman pack.” Dean’s voice was a low growl.

Soon, the talk changed to the weather and the early snowfall. Castiel was surprised to hear everyone discuss the status of supplies or which houses needed to be fixed before winter. He was especially astonished as Jess reminded Dean sternly that he needed to address the inventory of the hospital at tomorrow’s Counsel.

When Castiel was so full he could not possibly eat another bite, he laid the cutlery on the table, and Dean leaned towards him while the others still rambled on.

“You full? Did you like it?”

Castiel nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, it was delicious. Thank you, Dean.”

Again, he tipped his head to the side and left his neck open towards Dean.

For just a second, the room was filled with silence – but Castiel hardly noticed since he was too focused on the gold specks in Dean’s green eyes. And then suddenly, the chatter and laughter from before returned with twice the volume. Just as Dean leaned slowly towards Castiel and breathed in deeply at his neck, the omega could see Kevin and Jo wink at each other, Charlie beamed at him and he could have sworn he heard some cat-calls. Which made him very nervous.

But the alpha only settled back again.

Everyone at their table was staring at them, and in nervous tension, Castiel blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. “I especially enjoyed the venison.”

There was a groan from somewhere.

“Yeah?” Dean suddenly seemed excited.

“Yes.” Castiel almost whispered, because he had noticed how everyone on the table listened in on their conversation. As his voice turned lower, everyone just coincidentally leaned not-too-subtly closer towards them. “I… ah… my old pack did not do much hunting, and I liked it very much. I assume it is rather difficult to catch some deer in this time of year.”

This time, Castiel could clearly hear a groan coming off his left side. When he looked up, he could see Kevin and Jo rolling their eyes at each other, and Jody scoffed as she put her fork on the table. Castiel was about to feel embarrassed – obviously he had said something stupid – but one look at Dean had him forget about that: Dean looked immensely pleased. He smiled widely at Castiel: “Well, it’s not as easy as in spring. But it’s hardly impossible.”

Benny winked at Sam over the table and said: “Guess we should lie down soon. We probably have to get up early tomorrow.”

Everyone laughed cheerfully – aside from Castiel, who felt like he was being left out of some kind of joke, and Dean, who only had a sheepish smile around his lips.

Soon, the room slowly emptied, and the other tables were hardly occupied any more. Dean stood and Castiel followed, nervous again about what the night might bring.

On their way out, the pair was stopped by another alpha.

“Ah, Dean. This is the new extension to the pack, yes?”

Dean nodded and introduced Castiel to Fergus Crowley. The omega noticed that the two men seemed to deliberately avoid eye contact with each other.

“Crowley? Aren’t you the alpha of the Hellhound clan?” Castiel bit himself on his bottom lip. The words had been out before he had thought them over. Crowley narrowed his eyes at him in an almost hostile manner. But Dean only chuckled.

“He used to be. Unfortunately for him, Crowley here had been kicked out of his own pack after another alpha, Abaddon, had taken over. He came to us asking for asylum, in exchange for information. And then… you know, he just stayed. And we try not to kill him.”

Crowley threw an angry glare at Dean, who seemed unimpressed, before he turned back to Castiel.

“You seem awfully well informed – for a nomad. As I understand, the Wandering Wolves are not that interested in larger packs’ politics. You just roam the country and try to find work.”

Crowley looked at Castiel’s hands and his eyes narrowed even more. The omega rubbed his palms together nervously. He knew he had delicate hands – never had to work with them, so they would remain soft. And Crowley was right, of course. Nomads wandered in small packs, taking short-term jobs like helping with harvests or construction work in exchange for shelter and food.

“I… ahem… I mainly looked after the children.” There, this seemed more like an omega’s job than carpeting, anyway. “And I read up about any news I could find, so my pack was better informed than most.”

As soon as he had said it, Castiel noticed his new mistake. Most nomads did not even know how to read. They did not need to, and some were even proud to not adopt the strange ways of the humanised wolves. The suspicion in Crowley’s eyes had not diminished one bit, but Dean was obviously blind to it.

“Well, maybe you could help out at our school here. Teachers are always welcome.”

Castiel’s eyes widened in shock. He never had to deal with children before – he had no idea how to treat them. Instead of making his situation better, he was just burying himself deeper in his – very poor – lies. But at the same time, he was pleased to know that he was supposed do something useful.

Crowley opened his mouth again, but suddenly there was a female alpha at his side.

“Oh, let the boy catch some breath, Crowley. He just had to fight off two alphas and he looks starved enough for me to readily believe he had to fend for himself for some time now.”

Castiel did not know this woman, but he felt instantly grateful to her, because now Crowley was looking over his skinny frame, and some of the doubt in his face vanished.

“I am Meg, by the way. Another old member of the Hellhounds pack.” Castiel smiled shyly at her, until she looked him over with a smirk on her face. “Too bad Dean saw you first. Maybe we could have had some fun.” She winked – and Dean growled lowly. “Hey, no fuss. I am just saying.” Castiel could see the mischievous smile in her eyes, and despite her crude words, he liked the alpha.

“Whatever. Let’s go, Cas.”

With another shy smile in Meg’s direction, Castiel followed Dean through the surprisingly warm corridors. He was half surprised when the alpha stopped at Castiel’s door. He had been prepared to join Dean in the alpha’s room.

Dean rubbed a hand over the back of his neck: “So… good night, Cas.”

Castiel blinked once, twice. Then: “Good night, Dean.”

Dean waited for another second, simply looking down at Castiel. Finally, he sighed and walked away.

Castiel blinked a third time – before he opened his door and went to bed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, short-ish chapter (but there had been four in one week! ;-)


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter FIVE

 

When Castiel hesitantly got up the next morning, he was surprised to see warm water on the dresser already as well as fresh towels. He could not believe he hadn’t noticed anyone entering his room, but he had been so tired last night, he assumed he should be grateful no one called Missouri to check whether he was still alive.

He cleaned himself quickly and dressed in the new clothes that had been laid out for him. Afterwards, he sat back on the bed, unsure what to do next. Should he just wait here until someone would come and look for him? Or should he go to the hall and ask for breakfast? Maybe he was already too late for breakfast. And he was not even sure he would find the way again.

It had been less than five minutes of fretting when he heard a soft knock on the door. He opened it himself and was surprised to see both Charlie and Jess on the other side, smiling widely. The latter held a little toddler in her arms.

“Hey, Castiel, we are here to pick you up for breakfast.”

“Since you don’t know anyone, we feared you would not dare to come down. And Dean probably forgot to tell you about mealtimes.”

“Normally, you can get breakfast anytime between six and nine. Then there is dinner at seven. Everything in between, you have to order or make yourself.”

The toddler threw in an excited “Da da!” and Castiel smiled warmly at the child.

“You have a beautiful baby, Jess. What’s its name?”

“This is Deanna.” Just as she heard her name, Deanna started to fidget, and Jess held her tighter. “And don’t let yourself get fooled by her sweet face and those big innocent eyes. She is a real monster.”

Both female omegas laughed at Castiel’s shocked expression.

Jess raised her chin in mock indignation: “Don’t judge me before you have your own.”

And Charlie added in a dramatic whisper: “I love that baby. But set her on the ground, and you will be running after her for the next hour. Then, _you_ will be completely exhausted while _she_ ’s just waiting for the next round of entertainment.”

“Mama!” The toddler clapped into her hands, and fidgeted some more.

“She is just eighteen months old. She does not talk that much yet, but she is very fast. And very good at taking things apart. I hope the next one will be a bit less… energetic.” Jess stroked one hand over her still flat stomach.

The three omegas walked to the dining room in amiable chatter and this time, Castiel tried to remember every turn. He also tried to figure out whether there was a way to sneak out unnoticed. But for these purposes, the servant corridors were probably more useful.

Charlie obviously noticed his concentrated look and proposed: “After breakfast, I could show you around. So you can find your way alone in the future.”

“That would be very nice, thank you. But I don’t want to be a burden.”

“Ah nonsense. I would love to.”

When they arrived at the dining hall, it was almost empty. Castiel was not surprised as it was nearly nine o’clock. The seating arrangements seemed not as strict as the night before – the only people still eating were Meg, Crowley and a male beta Castiel had not seen before, and they were all sitting together at the same table. Castiel followed Charlie and Jess as the omegas steered towards the others.

The lanky man seemed relieved to see the approaching group – and one look at the stony faces of Meg and Crowley had Castiel assume that the two alphas were not the most joyful of companies. The beta jumped up as soon as Castiel neared and introduced himself as Garth. He then took the baby from Jess, so that the woman could eat relatively undisturbed.

“Morning, Clarence.” Meg smiled at him, and Castiel frowned, not sure whether she was calling him that on purpose – or had simply forgotten his name.

“It’s Castiel, actually.” He replied, and both Meg and Crowley snickered in answer. Castiel obviously did not understand some reference here, so he only shrugged.

As they were eating, he observed the group. He was pleased to see that omegas could sit with alphas at the same table and the women talked as freely as they had the night before. Garth and Charlie, who claimed she had already eaten, made funny faces at the toddler and fed her some crumbled bread with milk in between. Besides Crowley, who still fixated Castiel without even trying to hide his suspicion, the others were kind to him so that he relaxed quickly.

After Deanna had enough of her mush, the toddler jumped up, completely ignoring Charlie and Garth, ran to Crowley and tried to pull him off his chair with an excited “Caly!”. Jess giggled, and Castiel was surprised to see Crowley get up with an exaggerated sigh and then rush off after the squeaking child.

As soon as the alpha had left the table, Castiel’s eggs and bread seemed to taste much better.

Charlie scoffed and started to chew on some bread herself. “Deanna loves the old grump. No one knows why.”

Castiel joined in her laughter, until Garth announced: “Dean suggested you might like to see the school today, Castiel. Jody, Sam and I are the teachers, so it would be my pleasure if you joined me after breakfast, and I introduce you to the little ones.”

“Oh. That would be… nice.” Castiel tried to sound pleased rather than scared, and changed the subject with the first thing that came to mind. “What is Dean doing today?”

Meg snickered – and even Charlie and Jess grinned.

“Oh, the mighty alpha is off to a dangerous hunt.” It was Meg, who answered, her eyes were glinting with amusement. Again, Castiel felt like he was left out of a joke.

“And then he will probably help around town to make preparations for the oncoming winter.” Jess was the first to sober up.

Charlie announced with a full mouth: “But before you take Castiel to the kids, Garth, I promised to show him around the castle.”

 “Oh sure, all right. Then maybe you can bring him to Jody or me afterwards, because I really should get going now. Jody does not like to look after the small pups and the teenagers at the same time – and with Sam still out...”

They agreed, and Garth rushed away just as Crowley returned with Deanna. The alpha handed Jess the child he had thrown over his shoulder and excused himself as well. Castiel thought he heard Crowley mumble something about having to change his clothes again as he walked away. A moment later, Castiel noticed another alpha entering the empty hall and slowly approaching their table, and Jess suddenly seemed to be in a hurry to leave. She announced they should have fun – while she would try and tame the beast before Counsel. Jess left in the other direction than the new alpha was coming from, apparently not noticing him, and after short hesitation, the man just shrugged and returned where he had come from.

Before Castiel could wonder about that scene, Charlie had enthusiastically hoisted him up – and Meg, the last one at the table, stood as well. She declared she would join them. For protection, she added with a smirk.

As they slowly walked through the corridors, Charlie explained to Castiel that she would only show him the most important places inside the castle walls today, to not confuse him more than anything. At first, she led them back to Castiel’s room – and the omega was glad at this chance to remember the route again. Then she showed him to the kitchen, the courtyard and the keep. The whole time, the red-head was babbling on about this detail or another, while Meg mostly kept silent, lingering a few steps behind the omegas.

But after about an hour, the alpha seemed to notice Castiel’s overwhelmed look when the many impressions started to simply become too much for him.

“Why don’t we take a break for today, Clarence? We can show you around tomorrow again. I know how hard it is to find your way in this labyrinth since I myself only arrived a year ago. With my honourable head alpha.” Her voice was nothing short of sarcastic.

Castiel had already noticed the night before that Crowley and Meg did not seem to be on the best of terms. He cleared his throat and asked: “Why did you go with him? I don’t mean to pry, but… You don’t seem to think very highly of the alpha…”

For the first time since Castiel had met her, Meg looked completely serious. “Because he _is_ the lead alpha. I might not like him that much – but I am loyal. What Abaddon did was mutiny, and she tore apart the whole hierarchy of our old pack. That is dangerous. There is a reason why everyone has a place in a pack – shifters get too restless otherwise; they fight with each other all the time, looking for a more dominant position. A pack needs a hierarchy, it needs rules, it needs a leader. And loyalty makes a pack work above anything else. So I followed my alpha – as petty as he might be at times. And we found a new place here – where loyalty still means something.” She shrugged. “And with hardly any omegas left… I would not be surprised if my old pack had mauled each other to pieces by spring.”

After that sunny statement, there was an awkward pause in their conversation.

 “Were you really a teacher in your old pack, Cas?” Charlie asked with a strained smile, clearly trying to change the subject.

“Ahem… yes.” He could hardly come up with a new story now.

“That’s impressive. I mean, I like kids. But I have no idea how to teach them anything.” Neither, in fact, did Castiel. But he kept that information to himself. Instead, he studied Charlie for a moment, trying to figure out whether the omega was sad to not have any children of her own. But the woman seemed just as cheery as she had last night.

To end their tour for today, Charlie led Castiel and Meg up to the wall over the gate. There, they had a great view, both onto the castle grounds as well as the town, surrounded by wide forests on one side and hills on the other, all covered with a white brushstroke, that would vanish soon if it didn’t start to snow again.

Just as Castiel was taking in the beautiful sight, he could hear clapping footsteps and then he saw the excited looking young man running up to them.

“Have they come back yet?” He asked Charlie breathlessly.

She laughed, and Castiel noticed that the boy was an omega as well. He was oddly pleased to see a male omega on the grounds – yesterday, he had only noticed Charlie and Jess. As rare as omegas were in general, male ones were even rarer. Castiel was also relieved to see that he was obviously allowed to walk around freely. With Jess and Charlie being claimed, it was not that surprising, Castiel would have been allowed the same thing in his old home, even if not with the Adler clan. But this young man was not wearing any mark – and Castiel himself had never been allowed near any alphas, could never walk the palace grounds without protection. The Winchesters seemed a lot more liberal in their treatment of omegas.

The newcomer turned to Castiel and smiled even wider: “You must be Castiel. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Alfie. Well, Samandriel, but everyone calls me Alfie.” He laughed. “And no one seems to remember how that happened.”

“Has who come back yet?” Charlie interrupted, but her tone seemed a little bit too innocent for the smirk on her face.

“The hunting party, of course! I hear Benny was with them and I wanted to wave at them when they return.”

Charlie chuckled, and Meg rolled her eyes as she stage-whispered to Castiel: “Alfie here has a not-so-secret crush on a certain alpha. And it is quite amusing to everyone how much Benny is not reacting to his advances.”

“That’s not true.” Alfie’s voice was stern, even though his lower lip quivered. “He just thinks that I should look for someone closer to my age. Stupid alpha. And he has never joined any claiming fights over me, because they don’t mean anything yet.”

Castiel frowned. “Why?”

Alfie only stared at him, puzzled.

“I am sorry, but I am not accustomed to all your traditions – and I don’t understand why a claiming fight would not mean anything?” Castiel noticed that it was easier to ask questions in this smaller group, especially since he liked all three of them, even the alpha.

“Because I am not yet 21, of course.”

Meg added, more useful: “Dean does not allow to claim an omega before the age of 21. Obviously, his father had handled things the same way, and Dean is maintaining that rule. If an alpha tries to mark a younger omega, they will be executed.” Castiel’s surprise must have shown on his face since she added: “Yes, I know, it seemed strange to me as well.  Where I come from, omegas would often get claimed as soon as they had their first heat. Sometimes _during_ their first heat.”

Then she studied Castiel with a calculating expression, and the omega was glad when Alfie interrupted with a gagging sound, distracting Meg again.

“That is just disgusting. I had my first heat when I was fourteen!”

Meg just raised an eyebrow at Alfie as if to say _So?_

“Anyways, in a couple of months, alphas will start to fight for me.” The boy said this with so much excitement in his voice that Castiel felt appalled. How could he be happy about that prospect? Mere weeks ago, alphas had been fighting over Castiel, and it had been the most horrible thing he had ever witnessed. Did Alfie want to be mated with whoever proved to be the strongest alpha that fought for him? Or was he just convinced that Benny would capture him in the end?

Meg snorted. “Well, I hope you don’t wait for me to join in. I like my omegas a bit more serious.” She winked at Castiel.

“Oh, stop it. Like you would dare and challenge Dean.” Alfie giggled, and Castiel felt embarrassed. He did not like to be talked about like he was someone’s property.

Meg just shrugged and turned to Castiel like she was about to explain something else when Charlie suddenly yelled out: “Oh, look! There they are.”

Four wolves were trotting towards the gate of the castle – Castiel recognised Dean and Benny. If he had to guess, the other two were Sam and Dorothy.

But that was beside the point. What was impressive was the way they pulled two stags and a doe behind them. As soon as they were through the gates, men were rushing in to take the load. Castiel’s eyes turned wide as he stared down at the group – how had four wolves, no matter how big, been able to slay three animals this size? Suddenly, Dean looked up and as soon as his gaze met Castiel’s, he postured with a puffed-out chest, tail and ears high, and then he howled. The other three wolves joined in and Castiel smiled widely, excited at the scene below.

Alfie let out an enthusiastic chuckle, and Meg looked at Charlie, asking in a sardonic voice: “Do you believe we will ever get to eat anything but cooked deer again?”

 

>><< 

 

After the wolves had disappeared into the castle, Charlie reminded Castiel that they should go to the classrooms now. This had the smile wiped off his face rapidly.

“You want me to show you to Garth and the pups or would you rather sit in some actual lessons with the bigger kids?”

“Ahem… I would like to visit Jody’s class.” He answered, not so much because of the age of the children but rather because he knew and trusted Jody.

However, on his way to the class rooms, there was one door already open and loud chatter filled the corridor. Then he heard a cheery voice: “Oh, Castiel, there you are. Come on in.”

So, Castiel ended up in Garth’s class nonetheless. He was surprised by the number of children – there were about twenty of them, age between five and eight, or so he guessed. It was not like he was an expert with kids. Castiel was especially surprised to see three omegas amidst the group.

“Everyone, say hello to Castiel.”

“Hello, Castiel,” came the chorus reply.

“Hello… kids.” Castiel stepped in shyly, all eyes on him, and he noticed that the formerly loud children had turned completely quiet. They sat on wooden chairs, formed to a circle, and Garth had something pulled over his hand.

“We were just talking to Mr. Fizzles, but I guess, he is going to go to sleep now.” With that, he put the piece of cloth under his chair. “Ben, would you be so kind and fetch our guest a stool.”

One of the kids, the tallest, got up and pulled a chair next to himself. Castiel hesitantly sat down – he was now on the other side of the circle than Garth and he felt even more insecure in this position, just strange children around him. Who would have thought that kids could be so frightening?

“Thank you,” he mumbled to Ben, and the boy beamed.

“Castiel, why don’t you introduce yourself?” Garth leaned forwards and looked around the circle. “Or would you rather play question-time?”

There was a loud cheer – obviously all children liked that idea. Castiel just grew more nervous and fidgeted on his chair. Even before, he had not known what he should have said to _introduce_ himself. It was already hard enough to keep up his lies in front of adults, but now children as well?

“Lucas, you want to explain the game to Castiel?”

The addressed boy swallowed before he answered in a low voice: “Question-time means we go around the circle and everyone gets to ask you one question.”

That sounded easy enough. And scary.

“Who wants to start?”

Twenty hands went up.

“All right, Ben, why don’t you ask the first question and then we go around from there.”

As it turned out, question time with a bunch of children was not half as threatening as Castiel had expected. Obviously, kids were interested in the weirdest things. He was sure this game would have gone in a very different direction with someone like Crowley.

The children were mostly interested in which kind of jam he preferred or whether his mom had made him eat spinach as well or if he knew exciting stories about alpha knights. Even when it was Garth’s turn, the beta did not ask anything about his heritage but if he was able to roll his tongue – and for the next ten minutes, all children tried to do just that.

By that time, Castiel had already started to enjoy the game. It was funny, and the children seemed happy to hear any answer Castiel would give.

“Is it true that Dean saved you from an evil alpha?”

“Yes, it is.”

Suddenly, all children talked at once. “Did he fight him off?” “I heard there was more than one alpha.” “Dean could easily fight off a whole pack!” “And Benny was with him!” “Were you scared?”

So, Castiel ended up narrating the events of his meeting with Dean – he just let out some facts like that the _evil alpha_ nearly knotted him, and he might have painted Dean’s fight a little bit more colourful than he remembered. But on the other hand, he had been rather hazed at the time and thus had not paid too much attention to Dean’s skillset.

Afterwards, Castiel still did not feel up for the task to teach kids anything, but he had enjoyed question time a lot more than he had anticipated.

After all, never before had he reflected on which kind of fish he would like to be.

 

>><< 

 

Castiel spent almost the whole day with the kids. He found out that Garth mostly looked after the smaller ones and taught them some history facts as well as basic writing or calculus. Sam taught the older children, which were divided into two groups. Jody, as it turned out, gave lessons in hunting and fighting. But obviously, her and Sam took turns every other week. But those three were not the only teachers, various older wolves were involved in the kids’ education as well. For example, Crowley gave history lessons and Bobby taught them how to build dens and other tricks to survive in the wild. Furthermore, Garth explained that this school was not only open for all the inhabitants of the castle, but also to town folk if they wanted to – even though they had their own small school as well. Whenever they announced that either Dean or Benny would give a hunting class, the court yard would be full of children, bustling about.

Castiel was puzzled. Where he came from, the education of the lead families’ members and the citizens was very differing. Balthazar once told him a lot of townspeople did not even know how to write. Also, prestigious alphas would have never participated in something as humble as education. Just the thought of Michael, trying to teach a bunch of children how to hunt or shift, was ridiculous. But Castiel would have liked to watch Dean doing so one day.

In the late afternoon, Castiel returned to his room. Sam had helped him to find his way back, otherwise the omega would have still been lost.

“You should get some rest, Castiel. You look like the kids ran you over.” Sam smiled warmly. “Maybe tomorrow, your day should not be as packed. I am sure Dean meant well to introduce you to our schooling system, but you have been through a lot.”

“Oh no, I enjoyed today very much. It is better than brooding around in a dark room. I would be glad to join you tomorrow as well.” Castiel was surprised to notice how much he meant it.

“Well then… that’s good. But you should still lie down a bit. I am sure my brother will pick you up when it is time for dinner.”

Sam turned around and left. Castiel frowned: Was that a way of telling him he would not get much sleep after Dean picked him up? Or was Castiel simply overthinking a concerned remark? For the last couple of hours, Castiel had been able not to think about what else might be expected from him today – or tonight. But instantly, that uncomfortable feeling in his stomach returned.

At least, he admitted to himself, he was not appalled by the alpha. Not only because he was physically attractive, but also because Dean had been very kind to him so far. As a matter of fact, Dean had been acting like a true alpha ever since he rescued him. Or captured him, depending on how you looked at it. And that was what bothered Castiel the most – to have been simply won over in an alpha fight.

That, and the fact that he had never been intimate with anyone before.

Castiel laid on the bed and tried to get some rest, but unfortunately, his nervousness just grew more intense by the minute. To make it worse, he thought about his sister and Balthazar – and wondered where they would be right now. If they were still alive.

He wished he could reach them somehow. He even contemplated to try and run tonight. He was obviously not as strictly guarded as he had expected – but even if he made it out of the castle, out of Winchester territory, he still had no idea where to turn next. And here, he was safe and well-treated so far. It would be stupid to run into certain death. Even if he would not be caught by someone like Edgar, he would still have to face the cold, with no hunting skills.

But winter was just beginning. He would have to wait for months.

Still, it could not hurt to start planning an escape as soon as possible. Maybe he could find some maps to acquaintance himself with the territory and its surroundings. And he could look around the castle, searching for ways to disappear without anyone noticing.

He stood and prowled around the small room. The task of figuring out an escape had suddenly filled him with new energy – and he was so deep in his thoughts, he startled when he heard a soft knock on the door.

“Come in.”

The door was opened and in came Dean, wearing a warm smile on his face.

“You ready?”

>><< 

 

Like the day before, Dean was the first one to load a plate full – this time, it was mostly venison – and handed it to Castiel. Unlike last night, however, no one seemed to take special notice of the act, other than that everyone started to pick their food as soon as Castiel had accepted the plate.

Castiel ate with fervour. In the last two days, he had eaten more than Michael had allowed him in the last month. When he complimented the food again, Dean grinned widely. The boyish joy looked strangely adorable on a grown man.

After everyone was done and still chatted on, Alfie walked to their table and announced, eyes fixed on Benny: “I have watched you return today, you were all very successful with your hunt. Thank you for this delicious meal.”

“Well, cher, _we_ were not that successful. Dean did most of the hunting. Turned out, we were only needed to drag the game back to the castle.” Benny’s tone was gentle despite his abrasive words.

“And that is a horrible job, I must say. I still feel the rope around my waist.” Dorothy chimed in.

Alfie blushed a little, but managed a nod with a smile in the direction of Dean before he left.

Castiel was still puzzled and turned to Dean: “You slew all the game on your own? But that… that’s incredible.”

Dean smiled widely at him. “Well, I guess I am a pretty decent hunter. Did you enjoy the food?”

“Yes, very much, thank you.” Without thinking, Castiel tipped his head to the side. Dean’s smile just grew wider and he leaned in to scent Castiel. This time, the alpha lifted one hand and let a finger gently stroke down the omega’s neck. It was a light touch, hardly noticeable, but suddenly, Castiel’s heartbeat picked up and breathing seemed difficult.

Benny groaned, and Sam mumbled: “I guess we will be getting up real soon tomorrow as well.”

Jess and Charlie snickered.

 

>><< 

 

After dinner, Dean walked Castiel back to his room again. Like the day before, the alpha hesitated and observed Castiel for a second. The omega just stood in front of his door, nervously intertwining his fingers and waiting for Dean to make a move.

But then the alpha just shrugged. “It’s been a long day. Good night, Cas.”

Before he turned around, however, the alpha lifted a hand to Castiel’s face and palmed Castiel’s cheek for just a second, then let his hand stroke down over Castiel’s neck. The omega’s eyes closed on their own accord, but otherwise, he remained motionless – until he felt a cold breeze on his cheek. Dean had already started to walk away.

Castiel looked after him, frowning lightly.

The alpha had just subtly scent marked Castiel, and it was not at all like the possessive rubbing Castiel had read about – but otherwise, Dean still had not made any advances.

And just the tiniest part of Castiel felt disappointed about that.

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am one day early – but I am so packed tomorrow that I wasn’t sure I would even find the time to simply hit “post”. ;-) Enjoy! (I hope.)

Chapter SIX

 

Two weeks passed like that: Castiel would get up rather late – since both Dean and Missouri insisted he still needed a lot of sleep –, have breakfast with Charlie or Meg and afterwards join either Jody, Sam or Garth in school. He was quite happy with this daily routine, not least because he liked the three betas: Jody with her no-nonsense-attitude and the dry humour, Sam, who seemed to like books just as much as Castiel did, and Garth – well, it was simply impossible to not like Garth, who treated everyone like they were the most precious thing in the world. The three of them soon discovered that Castiel knew countless stories of faraway packs. So quite often, the omega found himself in front of the young children, narrating about the war between the pack of Angyal and Pokol or some other incident in the western territories. He always tried to make it sound as if he had read it in some book years ago – not like it had been a fundamental part of his education.

Castiel found out he quite liked to talk to the children – they seemed interested in his stories, and he did not have to fight for their attention as much as Sam or Jody whenever they were teaching calculus or literature. He also enjoyed that he did not need to be as guarded around the students. He did not have to pay attention to every word as to not accidentally slip where he came from. And he did not need to pay attention to his body language since there seemed to be no hierarchy among the children. And Castiel enjoyed to not have to constantly review his own posture – even if by now, he had noticed he did not need to act overly submissive towards the other adults as well. He had observed Charlie and Jess closely the last couple of days, and they never showed any sign of submission towards anyone, other than maybe their mates on occasion. Once, Castiel only slightly bared his neck towards Bobby, who seemed to hold one of the most respected positions in the pack, but the alpha had only frowned at him and told him sternly to _stop doing that_. Castiel sometimes still did it towards Dean, however, since that alpha seemed obviously pleased about it. And after all, he _was_ the head alpha.

But with the children, Castiel did not even think about his own attitude, only enjoyed their excited gasps and wide eyes as he talked about the bloodthirsty alpha Alastair and his daughter Lilith. Just as Castiel had started to like his new task of teaching, however, there was one lesson that had turned out to be real torture for him. Crowley, who often taught the older children about history and the lineage of different packs, had been in to listen to Castiel’s narration about how the land of Angyal had been divided between the three brothers Michael, Lucifer and Gabriel. Crowley sat at the back of the room and observed Castiel with narrowed eyes. Castiel had started to sweat and stuttered over his words more often than he usually did. He desperately tried not to sound like he knew any of these people personally, and definitely not like he had ever seen the majestic palace of Heavensgate with his own eyes. He even deliberately added some minor mistakes, like a wrong date.

When Castiel was finished, Crowley clapped a few times in his hands, slowly, and then asked: “Well that was all very interesting. Aren’t we lucky that Castiel here knows so much about the Western territories? Where was your pack originally from, Castiel? What did you say?”

“Ahem… Kansas.” Castiel stumbled out, but even to himself he did not sound too sure. “And like I said, I read a lot. And my pack always tried to exchange information with other nomads.” Again, not very usual for the Wandering Wolves. They mostly kept to themselves. Castiel just hoped that Crowley either did not know too much about nomads, or at least accepted that they lived in various ways. For whatever reason, the alpha did not comment further.

Instead, Crowley stood from his chair at the end of the classroom and slowly stalked to the front, next to Castiel. Then he looked at the children and rasped out in an eerie voice that had them all lean towards the alpha in suspense: “Now, Castiel told you about the Angyal family and the alphas Michael and Lucifer. But did he mention when these two brothers united to attack the Winchester pack?”

The children let out excited gasps. “No!” One child yelled. “What happened?” Another asked. “I bet Dean scared them off.” There were sounds of agreement all around.

“Oh, when this happened, Dean was just a little pup. Hardly older than Ben here. Just after he and Sam had lost their mother. John was still the head alpha when the Angyals tried to oppress your parents and grandparents. It was a short and bloody war. But I am afraid my memory is not what it used to be…” He turned towards Castiel: “Would you like to tell the story?”

“I… ah… I am sorry, but I’m not too familiar with details of this specific battle.”

There was a disappointed groan from most of the kids, but Crowley cheered them up with: “Don’t worry; next time Bobby or Rufus come around, ask them. They have excellent memories.”

Castiel was not sure whether he imagined the threat in the alpha’s voice.

Sure enough, two days later, Castiel sat next to Rufus and tried not to squirm when the alpha reported about the horrific attack from the insidious Angyal brothers. Castiel listened to how his uncle had tricked the Winchesters to believe in a truce and then attacked at night, with the Winchesters only half alert. What he had always been told was a clever trick, the Winchesters saw as deceit. And rightfully so, Castiel agreed.

The omega was not surprised to see the children play _fight off the nasty Angyal pack_ all afternoon. From that day on, he was even more anxious to not let anyone know where he was from. He also tried to keep out of Crowley’s way since the alpha seemed to be the only one to constantly examine him with this suspicious look.

 

Every day, Dean would seek Castiel out and spend some time with him, mostly around noon when the kids had lunch or romped around outside. The alpha would ask about Castiel’s class, tell a funny story about one of the kids or tell him what they had hunted today – and after about twenty minutes, he would always go back to whatever he needed to do next. Castiel grew quite fond of those small encounters, and the one day Dean did not show up, he had felt more disappointed than he would like to admit – even though the alpha had apologised profoundly during dinner. After Castiel had told him there was really no need for Dean to visit him every day, the alpha had frowned at him, and Jody nearly choked on her soup. There had been a tense silence at the table, and Castiel got nervous so he bared his throat to deflate the situation. Next thing he knew, Dean was leaning forwards, breathing in deeply at Castiel’s neck, smiling as usual.

During his first two weeks with the Winchesters, Castiel had also started to spend some time with Alfie. The omega always helped Missouri with the sick – Alfie said she was training him to become the next healer. Castiel was a bit puzzled about this. He had noticed by now that omegas were not hidden away in the bedroom like in other packs, and he himself enjoyed to finally be allowed to walk around freely. He liked that everyone in the pack had useful tasks, no matter which gender – but still, for an omega to become a healer? That was just a bit strange. In any case, Alfie seemed to be thrilled at the prospect of healing, and every afternoon he and Castiel spend some time together, the young omega would chat on about this effective herb or that horrible sickness. Almost as much as he talked about Benny.

At night, Dean would knock at Castiel’s door and accompany him to the loud and genial family dinners; and the omega grew more and more fond of the Winchester pack with every passing day. They were kind and funny, and Castiel enjoyed how they interacted with each other. There was an obvious hierarchy in the pack, but not nearly as ostentatious as it had been in Heavensgate. For example, no one seemed to be scared to approach Dean. Yes, most alphas would avoid direct eye-contact for longer than a second – other than Bobby, maybe –, and Castiel noticed how careful they were in phrasing a request, but no one seemed to outright _fear_ the alpha. Benny seemed to be more daring than most, and Castiel had heard him call Dean _brother_ from time to time. But Castiel was still cautious around the alpha, maybe because the intimidating man was unmated and that made the omega automatically more guarded.

Castiel especially enjoyed that Jess and Charlie talked freely, and after a couple of days, he joined in the light chatter during meals as well. It was easy enough, despite his quiet nature, since people constantly asked him how he liked living with their pack so far. They hardly ever asked about his past, however, and after a few days, Castiel had realised with a hollow feeling in his stomach that they probably did not want to upset him.

After dinner, Dean would accompany Castiel back to his room, and he would always gently stroke over Castiel’s neck for a second, leaving just a whiff of the alpha’s scent, before he left.

And Castiel started to feel more edgy with every passing night. For one, it did not help to have something you are nervous about be postponed again and again. And then, there was also that tiny nagging voice inside him that started to worry: Did Dean not want him?

Once or twice, he had even pondered if he was missing something, if Dean maybe had not captured him for himself but rather as a gift to someone else. But that did not seem very likely. Everyone else obviously assumed Castiel belonged to Dean. He had heard enough lewd remarks to be sure of that. Moreover, quite a few members of the pack seemed to be convinced that Dean stayed in Castiel’s room every night. At least for some time.

The tenth night Castiel got to bed, he felt a mixture of confusion, relief and disappointment after Dean had simply wished him pleasant dreams. The feeling of disappointment had increased every night for the past week. As he turned around on the soft mattress, he wondered if Dean was maybe physically _unable_ to mate Castiel. That might even explain why the alpha was still unmated, which was strange enough for a lead alpha at around thirty years of age. Suddenly, Castiel snickered in the dark room; the alpha seemed so virile, it was hard to believe he had any problems in _that_ area. Some of the comments Castiel had overheard also indicated that Dean had not been anything near celibate in the past.

After a few hours of tossing and turning, Castiel fell asleep to the memory of Dean in wolf form, licking his belly and shoulders.

He felt a tiny gush of slick run out of his hole at the thought of Dean touching him like that in human form.

 

>><< 

 

After two weeks, Castiel still spent most of his days at the castle’s small school. He would either teach himself, about history or sometimes poetry, or simply sit in when either Sam or Garth held class. He was particularly happy to be able to listen to one of Sam’s lessons when the beta handed out some maps of the surrounding territories. The teenagers groaned – but Castiel practically beamed.

For some time now, he had wanted to get a good look at some maps and find out exactly where he was and where his friends might have ended up.

Sam obviously noticed the interest in Castiel’s eyes as he had been studying the maps, because, after class, he asked: “Are you interested in the nearby territories, Cas? You want me to get you some more detailed maps?”

“Ah, yes. I… When I ran, I did not really know where I was going. I don’t… I don’t really know much about the land here.”

“Oh, sure, wait.” Sam pulled a book and more maps from the shelves. “You seem so well accustomed that we all easily forget that you are not from around here. I have a bit of time left, but then I need to kiss my girls. Before Jess and I join the Counsel.”

Every other afternoon, the Counsel held a meeting. Normally for two hours – the first hour was open to everyone and various pack members would deliver reports. Castiel once sat in and listened – he had been excited to hear about how everything worked in this pack. He had been sitting between Meg and a baker from town – and was surprised about the open exchange of information. Everyone could come and hear about newest developments. Afterwards, people could form requests.  During those open meetings, Dean laid the knife that was usually on his belt on the table in front of him – but Castiel had not yet been able to figure out the meaning of this gesture. The second hour, Dean would confer with his closest advisors: As far as Castiel could make out, those were Sam, Benny and Bobby. But Jess was also always around as well as Crowley, Jody and often Dorothy with Charlie or Kevin. Castiel was surprised that there were not only alphas on the Counsel, but also betas like Jody or Kevin – and of course Sam, whose opinion always seemed to have great impact on the head alpha. And Castiel was even more surprised that two omegas seemed to be constant members of the Counsel.

Sam unfolded one of the larger maps and spread it on the table. Then he looked sincerely at Castiel. “You know, you can always ask anything you want to know. I would be glad to help you, and so would Dean.” Mentioning his brother, Sam smiled warmly. “I am really happy he stumbled upon you, Cas.”

Sam looked embarrassed for a moment and then cleared his throat before he explained while his hands pointed out different territories on the big map in front of him. “So, this is our territory. Here, in the north-west are the Campbells, with whom we had always cultivated a friendly relationship. My mother was originally from that pack. They share a lot of our traditions and customs. Should you ever accidentally end up in their territory, just tell someone you are one of Dean’s. They’ll probably walk you right back to the castle.

“Then there is the Roman territory, but you know about them already. On this map, it is still marked as the Azazel pack. But we finally defeated them nearly ten years ago, and then Dick Roman took over. This is the part of the boarder we need to secure best. That small line to the west leads to the Hellhounds – named by Crowley when he was still the head alpha, but currently they are led by Abaddon. For decades now, the Hellhounds have been so invested in themselves and a regular change of leadership, they were not much of a threat to others. But I fear Crowley was easier handled than the current alpha. We’ll have to wait and see, I guess. In the very south lays Amara’s small pack.” Castiel shivered. He had heard of Amara before. The alpha had a reputation of being ruthless, and her warriors invincible. Castiel had even heard children’s tales about them drinking blood and thus, they allegedly became immortal. The omega did not believe in the supernatural, but still, he would not like to meet Amara or any of her pack. So he was more than a bit shocked when Sam added: “They are a friendly pack as well. Especially recently. Dean and Amara seem to have an odd form of friendship. I believe, for some time, Amara would have even liked to, you know, _combine_ our packs.”

Castiel frowned. Did Sam imply what he thought Sam implied? But alphas did not mate other alphas – did they?

Sam looked at Castiel’s furrowed brows and added: “But Dean was not interested, so… nothing to be worried about.”

Castiel’s frown only deepened, and Sam cleared his throat before he continued: “About half of our border is next to the Wild. So, there is not much to worry about from the east, other than few animal attacks. And those only happen in uncommonly cold or long winters. Otherwise, the non-shifters leave us alone.”

Castiel studied the artful draft for a moment, until he found what he had been looking for. He pointed at the mountain chain in the north border. “And what lays behind those mountains?”

“Oh, there is Loki. The territory of Gabriel Angyal and his pack. But the mountains form a natural border and we leave each other alone, mostly.”

Sam shrugged, and Castiel wondered at the obvious indifference.

“Angyal? But they have tried to oppress you, haven’t they? Aren’t you enemies?”

“Not with Gabriel. He stayed out of the fights. Lucifer had to federalise with Azazel to find a secure way to our territory. So, we don’t have anything against Gabriel. If someone of Michael’s or Lucifer’s pack would show up, however, we would not exactly welcome them with open arms, I guess.”

Castiel gulped, and then stared at the map again, brows furrowed in concentration once more – and his interest originated not only in the purpose to find a way to Gabriel. He knew his way around in the West, but he had not been able to remember many details about the Eastern territories. For example, Winchester was far bigger than he had anticipated. And even on a map, Castiel could see why the land was so coveted by his uncles. It was granted with wide forests as well as lakes and streams. The castle and the main town lay on a hill, which made it easier to defend. Then of course, there was the far Wild that promised easy warfare and even more territory. Castiel was surprised that the Winchesters had never tried to enlarge their realm.

“Why do you leave such a big open boarder? I mean, most packs want to have as much territory as possible. Why not settle the Wild Lands?”

Sam chuckled. “Oh, you think this would be easily gained? Let me tell you, everyone who has ever tried, failed miserably. There live some things in those forever-lasting forests that no one has ever seen. Or at least, they did not live to tell the tale. And we never tried to invade. If anything, the Winchesters had always seen themselves as protectors of the Wild. We consider it a sacred duty and in accepting this task, we are blessed with good climate, plenty of food and healthy children.”

Castiel frowned. This was superstition. Sam had seemed like a well-educated, intelligent young man. But this talk about things that cannot be explained – Michael would have never allowed such assumptions. Sam seemed to notice Castiel’s reluctance.

“I know, this sounds a bit ridiculous. And there have been times, growing up, when I thought the elders were just making up some stories to scare us kids. Dean had never doubted them, though. And as I grew older, I had to admit there was probably more truth to it than I wanted to believe. Dad used to say the Wild Lands tie us closer to nature. For example, we seem to have our wolves better in check; we also shift easier than most. And for generations, the lead alpha was born into the Winchester family.”

“What do you mean – was born into your family? You _are_ the alpha family.”

“But we still don’t choose our leaders only by blood. But by skill.” Castiel frowned, and Sam seemed amused by that. “You as a nomad should know all about that. I know the settled packs mostly follow an alpha lineage and every first-born alpha automatically resumes the position of head alpha. But your folk often change leadership, don’t you? Alphas challenge each other a lot?”

Castiel nodded hesitantly. “But my pack had the same head for a long time.”

“Well, here, when the old leader dies, there usually is a challenge where every alpha can participate. A head alpha needs to be strong, a skilled hunter and fighter, but they also need to prove they care for the weak and can make the right decisions for the whole pack. They need to be loyal and evoke loyalty in turn. With Dean, no one even challenged him. When Dad died, we were in the middle of a war with Azazel – and Dean stepped up and brought in victory. But even before that, I think everyone knew Dean would be the next head alpha.”

“But that means, it _was_ because of his lineage.”

“No, it was because he has all traits and skills that are required for the position.” Sam looked out of the window, lost in thought. “But I admit it certainly helped that our father had trained him to be a head alpha since Dean was a little pup.” He sighed. “We had a pretty harsh upbringing.”

“Your father still seems to be very respected.”

“Oh, he is. And he was a good _alpha_. But he was not always the best of _fathers_. And with our mother gone, it was tough. He constantly tried to form Dean into the perfect alpha, and Dean soon seemed to be convinced that he had to follow his instructions, that everything was his responsibility. At least, I was not in the same position, but I believe dad did not know what to do with a beta son, who was more interested in reading than fighting. So I was never allowed to my studies – he would rather have me hunt and fight alongside Dean, so I would learn something more useful. But even though he often lacked empathy with his sons, he did only want the best for us and always looked out for his pack.”

Castiel could hear the discrepancy in his voice. Sam seemed to admire and resent his father in same accounts.

“What about your parents, Cas? Did they try to turn you into something you are not?”

Castiel snorted. Like becoming a submissive little breeder? That’s not what he said, though.

“I didn’t really know my parents. My father died when I was still a child and mother… I seldom talked to her. Where I am from, parents don’t look after their own children.”

Sam looked appalled. “So, when you got older – that became _your_ job? Looking after the children?”

Castiel only nodded. For some reason, telling his lies felt more difficult with each passing day. In the beginning, he had not thought anything about it. It was merely a way of protecting himself from an enemy pack until he would be able to escape. But by now, the Winchesters did seem more like friends to him, and he felt horrible any time someone showed compassion towards him and his tragic past. Suddenly, talking felt hard, so Castiel was glad when Sam announced:

“I am sorry, Castiel, but I need to go now. Feel free to take the map with you if you want.”

“Thank you. I would like that.”

Castiel rolled the parchment up and soon followed Sam through the door.

In his room, he tried to figure out a way to Loki. The direct route over the mountains seemed impossible for him to manage. It would be easier to run through Campbell-land. Castiel expected, if everything went smoothly, he would maybe take four to five days.

He had made notes and been so deep in thought that he startled when there was a knock on the door.

Dean.

Castiel’s heartbeat picked up like it had started to do every time Dean was near. At first, it had been anxiousness and nerves, but by now, Castiel felt a flutter in his stomach that originated from a whole different feeling.

He quickly hid his notes under the mattress and opened the door.

Dean was casually leaning on the door frame, smirk on his face.

“Now, that was quick. Missed me?”

Castiel could not help the little laugh that escaped his lips. “I hardly had a chance. I have been busy.”

“Ouch, you break my heart.” He peeked over Castiel’s shoulder into the room. “You saying those old parchments are more captivating than my adorable smile?” Dean did not smile, however; the alpha pouted.

“Well, I have seen your smile before, but not those maps. And they are intriguing – to someone who has never been in this area before.”

Now, Dean frowned and he stayed suspiciously silent while they walked to the dining hall. As always, Castiel walked closely beside him and tried to subtly scent the alpha. He always smelled good to Castiel, comforting even, but with Dean spending so much time outside, there was always a different note to his personal fragrance. Sometimes it was pine or lemongrass or even clear, cold snow that mixed perfectly with Dean’s unique scent.

After dinner, the alpha asked suddenly: “You want to see the land, Cas? Rufus thinks the weather should be pretty good the next couple of days. Considering it is mid-November. We can let our wolves out and I’ll give you a tour. I don’t trust the weather enough for more than a day-long trip, though, so I’ll just show you some highlights.”

Castiel beamed. To actually see the lands sounded great. He could make more notes afterwards. And about spending a whole day alone with Dean…

“Oh, an outing. That sounds great! Can I come with, Cas?”

Castiel wasn’t sure whether he felt more relieved or disappointed at Charlie’s words. “Yes, of course. That is, if you don’t mind, Dean?”

The alpha looked like he very much minded. But he stayed silent, just gave a jerky nod.

“Hey, Alfie. You want to join us?”

The young omega had just slowly walked towards their table when Charlie called him. Every day, after dinner, Alfie would approach with one excuse or another. It had helped that Castiel and he had become quite close – though Castiel knew fairly well that Alfie only came to their table every night to ogle Benny a bit. However, the alpha always seemed oblivious. Or at least, tried to look like it. Castiel was still unsure about the pair. Benny always acted polite towards Alfie but nothing more – on the other hand, Castiel had sometimes caught him watching the young omega from across the hall.

“Join you where?”

“Cas, Dean and I will range the woods tomorrow. You with us?” With a mischievous smirk, she added: “I am sure we can persuade Benny as well. You know, for protection of three precious omegas.”

Benny opened his mouth, but Dean interrupted him before he could even form one word: “Oh yes, you will. And Jo as well.”

Suddenly, Alfie looked more than a little excited.

 

>><< 

 

That night, when Dean accompanied him to his room, Castiel smiled shyly.

“Thank you for offering to show me around.”

“Sure thing, Cas. After all, this should be your home now.”

Dean looked intently at Castiel, and the omega gladly offered his neck to Dean. With a smile, the alpha leaned in, and for the first time, he did not only breathe in at Castiel’s throat, but the omega could feel soft lips on his neck. A barely-there touch. But when Castiel tipped his head just a little bit more to the side, Dean kissed the spot again and for the briefest moment, Castiel could feel a lick of tongue on his neck.

When Dean grumbled a deep resonating sound, Castiel let out an answering whimper. Then he could see Dean’s nostrils flare and the omega was shocked to notice the hint of slick in the air.

Dean leaned towards him again and just as Castiel expected to be kissed, really actually kissed, Dean simply rested his forehead against the omega’s and sighed.

“We should sleep now. We want to leave pretty early, after all.”

Castiel could feel Dean’s warm lips over his left brow, and a second later, the alpha was gone. Leaving a once again puzzled omega behind.

 

>><< 

 

For the first time since Dean had found him, Castiel was awake long before the servant came to bring fresh water in the morning. He had hardly slept, excitement keeping him awake. Partly, because he was allowed out of the castle grounds. Partly, because he would spend a whole day with Dean. Even if it was not as private as he had first expected.

He quickly washed and dressed and then hurried to the dining hall – it was much earlier than he normally came in, and he was surprised at how crowded it was. But at the same time, it was a lot quieter than at dinner – most shifters seemed not completely awake yet.

Since he could only see Benny of the group that wanted to head out – and Castiel was still wary of the alpha – he ate next to Meg, returned to his room afterwards and waited for Dean to pick him up. As he sat on the bed, he started to worry whether he should shift now or later – he had noticed that the Winchesters changed form far more frequently than Castiel was used to, and they were also a lot less prude towards nudity. It was not exactly like they walked around naked all the time, but you could often get a glimpse of more flesh than Castiel was comfortable with.

Before Castiel could make up his mind, there was a loud knock on the door. Suddenly, his mouth felt very dry and he stumbled on his way to the door. When he opened it, he nearly fell against a strong, naked chest. Dean was still in his human form, but – for reasons of practicability, to be sure – he only wore leather pants. Even his feet were bare.

Castiel just stared at the chest in front of him for a moment. Too late, he remembered to look at Dean’s face – but the alpha’s smirk told him, that Castiel’s staring had been quite welcome.

“You ready, Cas?”

Castiel only nodded, words not finding their way around his head just yet.

Dean’s smile only became wider. “You want to shift here? Then you won’t have to search your clothes later.” Suddenly, a fiery glint stole into Dean’s warm expression.

“Yes, that would be… I mean, I would like… I will change right now.”

Dean made no move to turn around or close the door and Castiel panicked at the thought of undressing in front of the alpha. This might not be a big deal here, but it was for Castiel.

In his panic, Castiel did not even consider that it was Dean’s right to see him any which way – he simply shut the door in the alpha’s face.

From the other side, he could hear laughter and a chuckled “Spoilsport!”

When Castiel shifted, he envied again how easy changing form came to others. After he was done, the small black wolf had to sit down for a moment and wait for the shivers to stop. He whimpered lowly.

“Cas? You all right?” Castiel’s gaze focused on the door, and he could see the handle being pushed down. There was just the tiniest crack open, then Dean’s voice: “I’m coming in, Cas.”

Next second, Dean was at Castiel’s side. He laid a hesitant hand on the wolf’s head.

“You good, Cas? You sounded like you were in pain.” He sniffed. “You smell off, too. Should we go another day?”

Since he could not answer in any other form, Castiel shoved his cold nose against Dean’s hand and stood. He trotted slowly out of his room, convinced the alpha would follow.

 

>><< 

 

At the gate of the castle, Charlie, Kevin, Alfie, Benny and Jo as well as the alpha Victor were already waiting. Jo was the only one still in human form, but as soon as Dean and Castiel joined them, she began to take off her tunic. Castiel fixed his gaze to the floor. By the time, Dean started to open his pants, he practically examined the pebbles beneath his nose.

He only dared to look up again when Dean nuzzled his side – now a large wolf with sandy fur, strawberry red muzzle and dark brown spots.

Castiel was surprised to see Charlie and Kevin leading the way. Dean followed, next to Castiel, and behind them were Benny and Alfie. Jo and Victor formed the rear.

The group spend the whole day outside, and they hardly ever spoke. Dean trotted next to Castiel the whole time, and the omega wondered if this would have been different if it had only been the two of them. On the other hand, Castiel did not feel like conversation anyway. The land before him was way too beautiful. It was cold despite the sun, and most trees had lost their leaves already, but it was still breath-taking. They ran through a dense forest to a wonderful open lake. The group split up by then: Alfie, Benny, Kevin and Charlie rested and enjoyed the sun on their fur, while Jo and Victor ran off, side by side. The two wolves looked magnificent together – Victor, black with a reddish glint, beside Jo’s silver wolf, running as fast as they could push themselves until they started to engage in playful quarrel. When Jo had Victor pinned down, the female started to lick at his muzzle, and Castiel looked away to give them privacy. Ha had also learned by now, that alphas and betas of the Winchester pack did not need to be mated to act _affectionate_ towards each other.

Dean nudged him with his nose and Castiel followed the alpha, both of them engaging in a little running themselves. And it felt wonderful. Castiel enjoyed letting his wolf roam freely and with Dean by his side, it felt like he was sharing this part of himself with the alpha. Dean led him up a hill and Castiel’s heart ached at the gorgeous view of the territory.

The omega had not often been allowed outside of palace grounds in Heavensgate – but he was sure he had never seen such beautiful landscapes. And every time Castiel’s eyes widened or the omega let out a sound of amazement, Dean looked extremely pleased and puffed out his chest proudly.

It was not until the whole group had returned to the castle, just in time for dinner, when Castiel realised he had not in the slightest been watching out for escape routes.

Next time, he promised to himself.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! Just to let you know beforehand: I will spend some quality time with my family next week – so, I’m sorry, but I won’t post an update. This means, I’ll see you in two weeks (I still have enough written in advance, so this break definitely does not mean Captured is gonna be abandoned ;-).   
> Happy holidays to you all and, hopefully, you’ll enjoy this extra long-ish chapter!

Chapter SEVEN

 

Castiel writhed on the bed in pleasure as Dean kissed and licked a trail down the omega’s chest.

The alpha’s scent was everywhere, surrounding Castiel in a perfect cloud of safety and excitement.

When Dean nipped and sucked on his hip bone, Castiel let out a quiet moan.

He could feel more slick run out of his cleft and was relieved when Dean finally pressed two fingers into his hole, teasing and spreading him without haste.

Castiel wiggled, trying to get the alpha to move faster, and he let out another moan when Dean’s mouth was suddenly on his neck and the alpha bit into it with a possessive growl.

 

Just as Castiel came, the omega woke up from his own cry, fingers still up his ass, lying on a wet patch in his bed.

It took Castiel a moment to orientate himself. The light trousers he wore at night felt uncomfortable – now wet and sticky with slick. The light sweat covering his whole body did not help, either.

The omega still breathed heavily, surprised by the force of his orgasm. It was not like he had never pleasured himself before – but he could not remember touching himself while sleeping. At least not outside of a heat. And he also could not remember ever having dreamed so vividly about someone specific.

Suddenly, he had a horrible thought and sat up abruptly. He could see the steam coming from the pot on the dresser – which meant the servant had already been in the room, and it could not have been a long time ago. Oh Farkas, did the boy see anything? Or hear anything? Castiel was pretty sure he had been moaning Dean’s name in his dream. Repeatedly.

Still dazed, the omega stood and hurried to wash up. Focusing on anything but the question of who might have been in his room this morning. Or that someone would have to change his sheets today. His very damp sheets.

When he finally arrived at the breakfast room, he had not yet stopped blushing.

Since Castiel still got up rather late, the hall was nearly empty. He had now spent a whole month with the Winchester pack, but Dean insisted he still needed much sleep after the traumatic experiences he had recently suffered through.

Like most days, the omega joined Meg at her table. The last couple of weeks, the alpha had been on guard duty during the nights, and she usually headed straight to breakfast after her shift. Castiel felt oddly relaxed with the alpha – despite her occasional flirting. She never seemed very serious in her advances, though, just wickedly enjoyed making him blush. That was one of the reasons the omega sat down wordlessly and started to eat without looking the alpha in the eyes right now – he knew it was ridiculous, but he was afraid everyone who only looked at him would instantly know what kind of images were still running through his mind. Obviously, Meg noticed there was something off this morning, but just as she opened her mouth to say something, she was interrupted.

“Castiel? Would you mind if I joined you for a second?”

Castiel looked up, puzzled. In front of him was Cesar, an alpha who had never talked to him before. The omega nodded hesitantly. He felt confident enough with the alphas in Dean’s inner circle – maybe aside from Benny – but with strangers, he still did not know how to act. He could see that omegas were a lot more outspoken here than they had been in Michael’s pack, and he was also not scared anymore that some random wolf would claim him, but he still did not want to accidentally provoke anyone. And alphas took things personal pretty quickly. Since Castiel had never felt the urge to show off any amounts of dominance, he felt like he could easily anger someone by accident.

Castiel’s fingers twitched nervously when Cesar sat down across from him. The alpha frowned at his hands, and then subtly tipped his head to the side. Castiel’s eyes widened, and he immediately looked at Meg to see if there was some dominance contest going on between the alphas. But Meg seemed unfazed; she kept on eating without even looking at Cesar. After an awkward pause, the newcomer cleared his throat, and Castiel focused his attention on Cesar again.

“Listen, Castiel… I just wanted to propose something. It’s about preparing the storage huts for winter.”

“The storage huts?” Castiel blinked. He could not imagine where this was going.

“Yes. See, we are practically done with the preparations, and we proofed the huts with grain. Like we do every year. But Cole and I, we kind of thought it might be better to additionally support them with corn cobs this time.”

“Corn cobs?”

“This should provide more warmth. But since Cole and I are both alphas… well, the last time we discussed this in Counsel, things got a bit --- tense.”

“Tense?” Castiel wondered if he would ever be able to form words of his own again.

“You know, Cole might not have phrased his request too kindly, and Dean might have seen it as a challenge – and then the topic kind of got dropped before anyone was permanently injured.”

Castiel gulped. He knew scenes like that only too well. A strong hierarchy made packs workable. If someone acted like they were trying to challenge the standing order, it could get very dangerous. It made living in a large pack so difficult. You should never openly oppose a higher-ranking alpha, never try to deliberately pose a threat, unless that was your intention. Michael had used a blade on countless shifters, alphas as well as betas, whenever he felt disrespected. And it didn’t take much for the alpha of Heavensgate to feel disrespected. Dean seemed to be nothing like Castiel’s uncle, but obviously, he was still irritable enough.

“So, we were thinking, maybe you could propose this to the big alpha. You know, if you think it is worth a try. I would be happy to tell you all about our idea if you are interested.”

Since Castiel still felt like he was missing something important in this whole conversation, he simply nodded. What followed was a fifty minutes monologue about winter, storage and the difficulty of keeping everything – from livestock to flours to vegetables –  at the right temperature.

After some minutes, the fog in Castiel’s head had started to clear, and the omega actually found the ideas intriguing. He was far from being an expert in this area, but Cesar’s assertions made sense to him – and to cling to the old ways just because it had always been done like that seemed fatuitous.

In the end, he agreed to a relieved looking Cesar that he would try to mention it towards Dean. The alpha excused himself with a grateful smile, and as soon as he was out of sight, Castiel let out a heartfelt groan.

“I agree with you. I thought he would never shut up.” Meg chuckled. The female alpha had seemed like she was about to fall asleep a couple of times during the last hour.

“No, that’s not it. I actually found it rather interesting.” Meg raised an incredulous eyebrow. “But now I promised him I would talk to Dean. When should I let that kind of topic casually slip into a conversation?”

Meg snickered. “Well, I would propose to wait until you two are done having a good time tonight and then you mention it – just when he is about to fall asleep.”

Castiel stared at her, wide-eyed, and a blush covered his whole face.

“Oh, relax. I was just joking. Why not ask him this afternoon, after Counsel? I could accompany you – since I would definitely like to see Dean’s face when you start talking about corn cubs.” Meg suggested with a mischievous look in her eyes. The alpha seemed to enjoy it whenever Dean got riled up. Or Crowley, for that matter.

Now, Castiel did not know whether he should feel more at ease – or more nervous.

 

>><< 

 

For the last two weeks, Castiel had not been teaching at school any more. After he had settled in – as in: he would not get lost any more and feel comfortable with a moderate number of shifters –, it was Ellen who approached him and asked whether he would like to gain insight in different areas of the castle. They had agreed that Castiel would study in various facilities; this way, he was able to learn as much about the pack and its collaborations as possible.

The first couple of days, he had spent with Ellen. The beta was in charge of all the servants in the castle as well as the kitchen and organisation of various celebrations. Castiel noticed that quite a few of the servants were very young, some he even knew from classes, and Ellen explained that cleaning and serving were typical duties for young adults.

“Everyone here has at some point cleared out chamber pots or peeled potatoes.”

“But certainly not Dean or some of the other alphas!”

“Course they did. But I remember, I had to hunt Dean down from a few times…” Ellen furrowed her brows, and that should have given her a grim look – but the warm glint in her eyes ruined the serious expression.

In the week he had spent with the beta, Castiel had gotten a fairly good impression of how difficult it was to oversee the food resources for such a large amount of people as well as the organisation of cleaning laundry, heating rooms, procuring clean water and the likes. Ellen seemed impressed with Castiel’s quick grasp of the subject – and Castiel avoided to explain that these tasks had actually been part of his education. As an omega of a prestigious alpha family, he had been expected to have at least a superficial knowledge of housekeeping – but of course, a nomad would have never been taught how to overview such an extensive household.

But the day Castiel had been approached by Cesar about the storing facilities, the omega had already moved on from aiding Ellen to join Alfie and Missouri in the sick rooms. A task the omega enjoyed immensely. Not so much because he was particularly interested in healing – he had found out by now this required a stronger stomach than he possessed. He was impressed that Alfie never showed any signs of nausea when Missouri had them look at someone’s boils or infected wounds. But most of the time, Missouri would leave the two omegas alone to stamp herbs or sometimes even go out to collect some near the Old Tree, out of town. The weather had been surprisingly mild the last two weeks, and Castiel was surprised at how many plants could still be found this late in November.

Castiel especially enjoyed spending time alone with Alfie. With the other omega, he had never to think about how to act or if he would offend anyone, it felt like when he had talked to Hannah or even his sister. He also enjoyed the gossip Alfie always liked to share, and he did not mind his gushing over Benny. By now, he had figured out that Alfie had been in love with the alpha for over five years. Benny had obviously not been born into the Winchester pack but only joined after Dean had become head alpha, and Alfie had never really noticed the man – until he had been surprised by a heat at the age of fifteen. And before he could haste back to his room, he had been cornered in a corridor by another alpha, named Gordon.

The alpha had obviously tried to drag Alfie with him, despite his screams and attempts to fend him off – and then suddenly, there had been Benny, ripping Gordon off the young boy. The omega always had a dreamy look on his face when he told how gentle Benny had taken care of him afterwards, escorting him to his room and then sending Ellen to look after him.

At the beginning of the next Counsel, Dean had ripped Gordon’s throat out.

Today, the two omegas were hanging up bundles of sage and thyme to dry. They worked in peaceful silence until Alfie suddenly blurted out:

“You know, I have never lain with anyone.”

“Pardon?”

This seemed to be the day for abrupt conversations that caught Castiel off-guard.

“I have never been with anyone. You know, _intimately_.”

“Well, you are an unmated omega…” Castiel mumbled out.

“I know! I should enjoy myself, try some things out – until I am claimed and bound to one person.”

Castiel just blinked. He definitely knew by now that the Winchester pack was a lot more _open_ about certain things than the Angyal family – but did Alfie truly imply that omegas were free to choose a lover as well?

“But I don’t want just anyone. I want Benny. And he would just not…” Alfie completely stopped working and threw his hands in the air. “That stupid alpha! He is not too old for me!” He looked pleadingly at Castiel. “Do you… do you think it is odd that I want to wait?”

“No, not at all. I mean… in my old pack, omegas never slept with anyone but their mate.”

“What? Really?” Alfie seemed enthusiastic and appalled at the same time. “So, Dean was your first, too?”

For a second, Castiel hesitated. Since everyone seemed to assume he was sharing his bed with Dean, he was not sure whether he was supposed to tell the truth. Dean always accompanied him out of the dining hall, after all. There was still the nagging doubt that maybe Dean was not able to perform – as ludicrous as the thought might be – and this was the alpha’s way of hiding his incapability. But on the other hand, Alfie had been so open towards Castiel since the beginning, and the omega felt bad already for lying about his past. Felt guilty every time Alfie told him how sorry he was for his losses, that he would always be there to listen.

“Actually, I am still untouched. Like you.”

Alfie’s eyes widened. Then suddenly, he burst out into laughter. “Oh, this is too good to be true. Are you trying to drive him wild? Make him so lust-ridden he will not be able to think straight?”

Castiel did not understand Alfie’s sudden amusement. Before he could share his indignation, however, the omega sobered up again. “But I like it. Waiting, getting to know each other first. It seems… oddly intimate, in a way. Long looks into each other’s eyes, fleeting touches.”

Suddenly, Alfie threw his arms around Castiel.

“I am glad you told me. Now I don’t feel as strange any more. Maybe I will even wait until Benny is ready to form a mating bond. Or even until he claims me. Like in your old pack.”

Castiel suddenly realised this was a perfect opportunity. He had wondered for a whole month now why Dean had not yet claimed him, why Castiel was not wearing a mark yet, and now he was with someone he felt comfortable enough to ask.

He had just opened his mouth, when the door sprang open and Missouri came back in, Meg in tow.

“I believe you have crumbled enough herbs for today, boys. Why don’t you take a break? Meg here says you would like to visit the Counsel today, Castiel.”

Alfie winked at Castiel and whispered: “Now, I just have to find a way to subtly inform Benny that I have never shared myself with anyone. Let’s hope it will drive him wild.”

Alfie giggled happily – and Castiel wondered, not for the first time, at Alfie’s absolute belief that he would one day be mated to the brooding alpha. He just hoped his friend would not be devastated in the end.

 

>><< 

 

Still musing about his strange conversation with Alfie, Castiel followed Meg to the Counsel room. On the way, they had stumbled over Benny, and after what Alfie had just told him, Castiel felt oddly embarrassed just looking at the alpha. Meg, however, grinned widely at the big man. The previous declaration of his friend had Castiel so distracted that he almost forgot why he was seeking Dean out – until they arrived at the Counsel.

“They seem to have already finished. Look, no one is there any more. You can ask Dean about your storage-thing right away. I wonder how he will take it when you suddenly show interest in corn.”

There were, in fact, still Dean, Sam and Jess as well as Bobby, Ellen, Crowley and Victor present. Dean’s knife was still lying on the table, like Castiel had seen when he had listened in an open Counsel. Meg and he lingered in the back of the grand room, waiting for Dean to finish.

But just as everyone had raised from their chairs, Victor approached the head alpha and held out his hand.

“May I have your knife, Alpha?” Victor solemnly asked Dean, who looked up in surprise.

“Of course.” He handed the taller man the knife that he had just started to arrange on his belt again.

Victor took it and did not hesitate to cut himself on the inside of his hand.

Castiel stared in disbelief at the drops of blood that ran down Victor’s wrist.

Meg noticed his reaction and explained, in a low voice so no one else could hear her at the distance: “It is a tradition in the Winchester pack. If you have something to say that may be considered a challenge or simply something the alpha might not like to hear. You draw your own blood with the head alpha’s knife, during an official meeting or even in private – and thus, put yourself in an openly vulnerable position. This way, the alpha will feel less threatened and probably won’t attack.”

“Alpha, may I speak?”

“You may speak freely, Alpha.”

The words seemed rehearsed, like a ritual.

“I want to ask permission to court one of your pack.”

At that, Dean grinned widely. Victor still seemed tense.

“I ask permission to form a mating bond with Joanna Beth Harvelle.”

The smile seemed to freeze on Dean’s face until it looked more like a grimace. “What?”

Victor just stood there in the middle of the room, waiting for a more elaborate answer. Dean suddenly turned around and looked at Ellen, who wore a warm smile on her face. Sam and Jess were smiling as well, and Crowley just rolled his eyes as if to say _how did he not see this one coming?_ Castiel had to agree, to some extent. Jo and Victor had seemed very close whenever he saw them.

Dean turned towards Victor again, and swallowed. Then, he shrugged. “I grant you permission to bond with Jo. Of course.”

Victor let out a long breath that seemed like he had been holding it since he asked for the knife.

“Do all alphas have to ask permission if they want to mate anyone in the pack?” Castiel whispered towards Meg.

“Of course not, the pack is way too big. But you have to absolutely ask whenever you want to court an omega. And it helps if you want to mate someone from another pack, someone you want to bring here – since the head alpha needs to accept every new member. Or, you know, if you want to form a bond with someone close to the head alpha. And Jo is like a little sister to Dean, so…” Meg shrugged.

Castiel stared in wonder as Dean and Victor hugged each other, something he had never before seen two alphas do. “I wish you good luck, man. She is a wildfire.”

“I know.” Victor looked like this was the best thing he could imagine.

“I just hope you asked her before you came to me – for your sake.”

“I sure did.” The two men grinned at each other.

The alpha received a few more claps on the shoulder as well as hugs from Ellen and Jess. Then the room cleared until Dean, Bobby, Ellen and Crowley were the only ones remaining.

“Come on, Cas. Good opportunity to ask about those huts.”

Meg suddenly made her way to the centre of the room, Castiel following hesitantly.

“Hey, Cas!” Dean smiled widely as soon as his eyes locked onto the omega, knife still in hands.

Something suddenly clicked in Castiel’s brain. He wanted to ask something of Dean, something the alpha obviously thought offensive. But to be sure…

“Alpha, may I have your knife.”

The sudden silence in the room was deafening.

While no one had openly reacted to Victor’s request, all faces looked shocked all of a sudden – and Castiel realised he had made a mistake. A big mistake, probably. He was an omega. Omegas might be granted a fair amount of freedom here, but obviously, not that much.

But before he could back down, Dean had handed him the knife. If Castiel thought, everyone else looked shocked – Dean seemed furious. His face was white, and he seemed hardly able to force himself to stand still, hands tightening into fists.

Since the alpha had wordlessly given him the knife though, Castiel still cut himself on the palm, barely managing to hold back a hiss at the same time as Dean let out a growl. He handed the knife back while Dean only glared at his bleeding hand.

“Alpha, may I speak?”

 “You may. Castiel.” Dean’s voice was so tense, it was nothing short of a snarl. Everyone else in the room still seemed paralysed, even Crowley and Meg.

“I wanted to ask about the storing facilities.” Castiel licked his lips; suddenly he felt stupid and he really had no idea how to phrase his proposal. “I thought, maybe if you used corn cubs as a…”

“Oh, for goodness sake! All right! Let them have their stupid corn!” Dean barked out, turned around and virtually fled out of the room.

“Well, that was… awkward.” Meg sounded tense, which made Castiel more nervous than anything else.

He felt panic creep up on him. Suddenly, he was in a room with three alphas and one beta, who all seemed to glare at him, and the only thing he could do was wait for the first one to attack. Unsurprisingly, it was Crowley.

The short alpha prowled towards him. “Don’t believe for a second I don’t know what you are trying to do here.”

Involuntarily, Castiel took a step back.

“Leave him be, Crowley. This is not your concern.” It was Ellen who rescued Castiel, Bobby close behind her. But the older alpha studied the omega with a frown of his own.

“But Crowley has a point. The knife is not for omegas to use. Especially not for you. And for such a stupid thing! What were you thinking, idjit?”

Castiel just shrank further in on himself. What, indeed? He was just an omega, a stranger at that.

“This might be my fault, I am sorry.” This time, it was Meg, looking at Bobby, but lowering her gaze after a second. “Don’t forget, Castiel is not used to the Winchester customs. And I am afraid, I have not explained it well. I also might have said something that indicated Castiel should use the knife. I am sorry.”

Bobby looked at her sternly. “Don’t tell _me_ that. Go and explain yourself to Dean.”

“And hope that he still has his knife with him for you to use.” Ellen mumbled under her breath. Then she looked at Crowley. “The story of that little incident will not leave this room. Am I clear?”

Crowley looked unimpressed, but did not object. Meg just grimaced and turned around to the exit. Castiel looked at the group, but apart from Crowley’s glare, no one seemed particularly interested in him any more – so he hurried after the female alpha.

“I am so sorry, Meg. I didn’t want to cause you trouble. Maybe I should come with you and explain…”

“No!” She took a deep breath. “No. I should do this alone. It is my fault, after all. I should have told you… I just thought you would ask Dean after the Counsel. You know, in more private surroundings. I just wanted to see his face when…” Suddenly, she let out a nervous chuckle. “But I will be honest with you: That look on Dean’s face was almost worth it.”

 

>><< 

 

Castiel was lying on his back, muscles tense with nerves. He had no appetite and just the thought of sitting in the Great Hall right now upset his stomach. So, when there was a muffled knock on the door, he felt like he was about to faint any second. He had anticipated that maybe Dean was still too angry to call for him.

“Come in, please.” Castiel said, because – what else could he say. Not reacting seemed childish. In his head, he repeated the monologue he had been concocting in his mind – something about him not feeling too well and how he would rather just lie down.

The door handle jerked and Castiel could hear soft clattering followed by a curse. Then: “Could you just open the door, Cas?”

Castiel frowned, stood and opened the door.

In front of him was a sheepishly grinning alpha, a big tray in hands that was overloaded with a steaming pot, two abundantly filled plates as well as two goblets with wine; and as far as Castiel could see, Dean even held a loaf of bread, wrapped in a towel, under his arm.

“I thought we could do something different tonight. You know, eat in quiet, just the two of us.”

Castiel was so surprised – and still playing his various excuses around in his head – that he did not even step back to let Dean in.

“Unless… ah… I mean, if you would prefer, we can still go downstairs.” Dean was looking a bit helpless with the tray in his hands.

“No, of course not. That was very thoughtful of you, Dean.” The words were out before he knew it, and Castiel could have slapped himself. What happened to fake illness? To reply in a polite manner seemed to be so ingrained in him that he often agreed to something before he actually thought it through.

However, Dean did not seem to notice any tendency in Castiel to harm himself as he stepped in and put the tray on the table.

“Close the door, Cas? It might get chilly if we leave it open.”

Castiel did as asked, and then turned around, closed door in his back.

As he looked at Dean and the set table, he suddenly noticed how small his room was. Tiny, really. Actually, there seemed no space for anything else but Dean. And the bed.

He tried very hard not to think about the way he had woken up just this morning. And he was grateful for whoever had changed his sheets, so that the room did not reek of dried slick.

The alpha did not spare the alarming piece of furniture one glance as he sat down on one of the two chairs. He looked up at Castiel, and then frowned when he noticed the omega had not yet moved away from the door. He was about to say something, but before he could get a word out, Castiel interrupted him. He might not have been able to give his speech about headaches and loss of appetite, but there was something else he had been meaning to say to Dean.

“I am sorry for this afternoon, Dean.”

Dean opened his mouth again, but Castiel slowly walked towards the alpha, holding up a hand that quieted him.

“I know now that I should not have used the knife, and I am sorry I did not ask about this custom further before I asked for it. I shouldn’t have. And I did not mean to put you in an uncomfortable position – or to change our relationship.”

While he said those words, Castiel was bowing his head slightly. Immediately, Dean stood and Castiel could feel a gentle hand on the back of his neck.

“Let’s just not think about this anymore. Meg explained to me that there had been a misunderstanding. And I am sorry if I overreacted.” Dean reached for Castiel’s left hand and lifted it to his face, kissing the cut on his palm lightly. “Just, please, don’t do it again.”

“I promise, Dean.”

“Great. So how about we eat? I feel ravenous.”

Dean started to eat with vigour. Castiel, not so much. He hardly managed to swallow anything down. He was just too aware of the alpha in front of him, and the bed behind him. He was not _scared_ at the thought that Dean might have planned something more for the night than dinner – just very, very nervous. And whenever Castiel was nervous, he did not feel exactly peckish. Quite the opposite.

The image of vomiting into Dean’s lap right now, pulled a hysterical giggle from Castiel. Dean looked up with a warm smile in his eyes. “What?”

“Nothing. I just thought of… something.”

Dean’s eyes narrowed for a moment, but he didn’t inquire, just asked, and not for the first time: “So? How do you like it here so far?”

“Very well, Dean. You have a wonderful pack. I cannot believe how organised everything is, and how well everyone seems to get on with each other.” His brows furrowed on their own accord as he thought about the rigid atmosphere in his old pack. Dean reached over the table and stroked two fingers softly over Castiel’s hands.

“I am glad you like your new home. I cannot fathom how much you have lost, but there is a future here waiting for you.”

Castiel hardly realised the soft glow in Dean’s eyes or the alpha’s warm hand on his – because, like every time someone in the Winchester pack expressed their sympathy for Castiel’s tragic past, he was drowned in guilt. Yes, he had lost Balth and Anna – just how final that loss was, he did not know – but he had not been ripped out of a whole pack. He had not been on his own for weeks. He had never been surrounded by the large and loving family everyone seemed to assume he had just lost.

When Castiel looked up and saw all the honest emotion in Dean’s eyes, he was tempted to tell the alpha everything. Dean was a good man. Maybe he could see past his status as an Angyal omega. Maybe he would even be so kind as to try and find Anna and Balthazar. The Winchester pack had welcomed wolves from different packs before, after all.

But looking deeper into Dean’s green eyes, he could not bring himself to speak the words. He was too captured by the mixture of warmth and fire; so much so that he was scared to ever see anything else in them. Just this afternoon, he had made a mistake and pushed his luck a little bit too far. And maybe the Winchesters had accepted even Crowley in their midst, but Castiel had seen the mistrust the pack showed to the Angyals. Even Sam was still furious at Michael and Lucifer – and the beta seemed a lot more even-tempered than his brother. Besides, with every day that passed, it seemed harder to find the right words. The deceit seemed more profound by the minute.

Suddenly, Castiel realised he had been looking directly at Dean for far too long and he lowered his gaze again. “This means a lot to me, Dean. Thank you.”

Dean studied him for a long moment, then shrugged and changed the subject abruptly: “So, who coaxed you into this corn-thing? Cesar or Cole?”

Castiel stared at the bread in his hand, not wanting to answer because he was afraid he might cause trouble for Cesar.

“All right, you don’t have to say. I already put it into motion. It might be a good idea, after all. I am just not always good with change.”

Castiel perked up at that. “Alphas seldom are. Much less lead alphas”

“How do you mean?”

Castiel gulped. He would have rather not elaborated. But since he had started it: “Alphas often hold on strictly to rules. That is how packs work – there is a clear chain of command and it needs to be upheld. Change often brings the hierarchy in disarray – which leads to fighting. Alphas don’t want change, even if it is only small things, because it could bring chaos. And that is always dangerous. Especially with wolves who see challenges in every tiny disagreement. So, it might seem easier to just follow the old way.”

To Castiel’s surprise, Dean chuckled. “Maybe you’re right. At least my father definitely did not like change. Did you know that he did not even allow same-sex _betas_ to mate? Just because they can’t have children… I consider myself quite progressive by comparison.” Dean flashed a smirk that disappeared as quickly as it had showed. “But maybe I should learn to listen to new ideas. You cannot be a good alpha if you are too self-absorbed and stubborn to even try at some advancements.”

“I believe you are a very good alpha, Dean.” Castiel blurted out. Dean looked at him with that warm expression that always made Castiel’s skin tingle – but there was still enough doubt in Dean’s eyes for Castiel to urge on: “You listen a lot more to your pack than most leaders do. And though everyone respects you, no one seems scared of you. For a head alpha, that is rare. I have never seen a pack so well balanced and even your servants or the townspeople are not in need of anything. You spent the last weeks preparing for winter – but not only for you and your family. But for the whole pack. I have seen you hunt and share your food as well as help fix roofs and teach the children to shift.” Castiel looked Dean straight in the eyes. “I have seen plenty of head alphas, Dean, but never one like you.”

A blush was wandering from Dean’s neck all over his face, followed by a goofy smile the alpha tried to hide. At the same time, Dean sat up straight, obviously preening at Castiel’s words – it looked like the alpha was overjoyed but embarrassed at the same time. To the omega, Dean had never looked more beautiful than in this exact moment.

In an instinctual manner rather than a trained one, Castiel bared his throat to Dean, wanting the alpha near him. Dean did not disappoint: He left his chair and kneeled on the hard floor next to Castiel, burying his nose into Castiel’s neck. The omega only tipped his head further to the side, inviting Dean to drink in his scent.

Castiel could feel Dean’s lips on his throat, scattering light kisses from his neck up to his jaw until he reached the omega’s lips. When Castiel could finally feel Dean’s lips on his, he let out a little moan that seemingly encouraged Dean to kiss the omega properly.

Castiel could feel his own skin soften under Dean’s administrations and when he felt Dean’s tongue slowly lick at his bottom lip, he instinctively parted his lips and felt something close to relief when Dean finally entered his mouth.

The omega had never been kissed before – and he would have never guessed that such a simple action could set his whole body on flames. He was nearly drunk of the taste of Dean. He felt a pleasant tingle from head to toe and without thinking, Castiel had one hand on Dean’s shoulder, the other in the alpha’s hair, trying to pull him even closer.

When Dean finally pulled back, he let his forehead rest against Castiel’s for a moment as both men tried to catch their breath.

“How about we move this to the bed? It’s getting a bit uncomfortable here.”

At Dean’s question, Castiel suddenly realised the awkward position they were in: He still sat on his hard chair, legs slightly spread to make room for the alpha, who was kneeling on the floor, one hand on Castiel’s thigh, table edge pushing into his back.

Castiel nodded and Dean stood, pulling Castiel up – and without having to move much, Castiel was gently pushed onto the bed.

If Castiel had thought Dean would move things along quickly, he was wrong. Dean just laid down next to the omega and started kissing him again. Castiel was laying on his back, Dean was on his side, their tongues entangling for an eternity, and when both men were out of breath, the alpha just started to pepper featherlight kisses all over Castiel’s face. Dean seemed so sincere in his attempt to kiss every single spot on Castiel’s face that the omega nearly giggled when Dean let his lips wander over Castiel’s nose to his eyelids. At the same time, the omega thought he might enjoy kissing every single freckle on Dean’s handsome face as well.

When Dean finally pushed his tongue into Castiel’s mouth again, slowly teasing in and pulling back again, Castiel let out a moan and his hands wandered along Dean’s body until he pulled up the alpha’s shirt to stroke over the broad chest.

Dean pulled back with a hiss, then chuckled. “Your hands are ice cold, sweetheart.”

Castiel immediately tried to withdraw his hands, embarrassed as he had only now consciously realised what he had been doing. But Dean just gripped them gently and rested them on his bare chest again, covering Castiel’s cold fingers with his own hands. “Hey, I didn’t say I won’t be happy to warm them up.” With a cocky smirk, the alpha leaned back in and claimed Castiel’s mouth again, this time letting his tongue map out Castiel’s inside in an almost possessive manner.

The smell of slick slowly filled the room and Castiel could hear a low growl from Dean’s chest that just had him wet his pants even more. Dean slowly rolled on top of Castiel who instinctively opened his legs, so Dean could easily settle between them. Castiel felt his own body become all pliant and melting into the soft mattress.

When Dean let go of his mouth again and licked a hot trail down the omega’s throat, Castiel breathed in deeply, letting his senses be filled with the mixed scent of slick and alpha arousal. He let out a quiet whimper and pushed his hips up unintentionally. The friction against Dean felt good – and the alpha obviously thought so as well as both men let out a moan at the same time. When Castiel tried again to rub his crotch against Dean’s, he felt the alpha’s hand wandering inside his pants and slowly stroking over Castiel’s backside. The omega froze for a second. Not from discomfort – but because he had only just realised what was about to happen and how he did not truly know what to expect. Well, technically, he did – but there was a huge difference between being taught the basics and actually doing it. It also did not help to remember how his governess had always advised him to _try to relax and ignore the pain_.

Dean noticed that Castiel’s thoughts had wandered off, and he withdrew his hands at once, pulling back and studying Castiel’s face.

“Too fast?”

“No.” Answered Castiel, nodding at the same time. “I just… I never…”

Enlightenment showed on Dean’s face. “You said you are _untouched_. When we first met. Do you – is this how your pack handled those things?”

Castiel nodded again, relieved at the sympathy on Dean’s face.

“Betas and omegas were expected to stay pure until they form a mating bond.”

Dean frowned. “And alphas? They can sleep around? I am not a mathematician, Cas, but even I can see that this seems … ambitioned.”

“Well, there are always concubines. Or brothels.”

Dean huffed – he obviously did not like the concept of concubines. Then the alpha let out a long sigh and rolled off Castiel so that both men lay on their backs next to each other, close but not touching.

“Pure until mated, huh?” He sighed again. Then: “Well, I can wait.”

The alpha suddenly pecked Castiel on the temple and stood swiftly. When he looked down at the still blushing omega, Castiel could see the obvious bulge in Dean’s pants.

He missed Dean’s touch already and suddenly felt cold without the alpha blanket on top. His mind could not comprehend why the alpha was no longer lying in bed with him.

“What are you doing, Dean?”

“Honouring your customs, of course. So, I wish you a restful night and peaceful dreams.” He turned around and picked up the tray with the leftover food.

“What?” Castiel raised himself to his elbows.

“Like I said, I can wait.” Dean walked to the door, opened it with his elbow and stepped into the corridor. Before he closed it with his foot, he winked at Castiel – who was still lying on the bed with a confused look on his face.

“I just hope you won’t make me wait until we are old and grey.”

The next second, Castiel stared at the closed door.

Wait – what?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your kudos and comments – every single one makes me very, very happy! <3


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since a) this chapter is kind of short and b) I did not update last week:   
> Happy-new-year-surprise-chapter to you all! :-D  
> Fyi: This is gonna be a long day for Castiel (a three-chapter-long day to be precise) …

Chapter EIGHT

Mate.

Castiel could hardly find any sleep that night. He had been constantly mulling over Dean’s words.

_“Pure until mated, huh?” He sighed again. Then: “Well, I can wait.”_

Obviously, there was something he had not known was going on. What had the alpha meant when he said he did hope Castiel would not let him wait too long? Did he plan to mate him? And Castiel had to – do what exactly? Dean had already captured him, after all.

Somewhere around four a.m., Castiel had decided that he would have to talk to someone who would help him shed some light on the Winchester mating customs. And the best person for that matter seemed to be another unmated omega, someone he trusted. Right after breakfast, he would seek out Alfie – his friend would not laugh at him for his ignorance. And Castiel desperately wanted to get some information before he met Dean again. Of course, the mature thing would probably be to ask the alpha directly, but sometimes it was easier to talk to another omega. And maybe he was completely wrong about his assumptions, and that could lead to an embarrassing conversation.

Mate.

The word alone made him feel excited. Being mated to Dean Winchester.

A full mating bond, and not just a claim.

Around sunrise, he finally fell asleep. So, in the end, he did not appear in the dining hall as early as he would have liked. Instead, he woke up at his usual – late – time, after he had slept for only about two hours, and made his way to the large room, with a flipflopping stomach. He sat down wordlessly beside Meg, as usual. The alpha only smirked at him when she saw his still ruffled hair and the only half-open eyes.

When Meg reached for a mug, Castiel could see the large cut on her palm. He started to apologise again, but the woman told him to _stop being so boring_. For a second, he thought about asking Meg about mating procedures in this pack – but he did not really feel like it. She would doubtlessly answer all his questions, in full detail, but not without her sardonic humour. And Castiel had a feeling she would make quite a bit of fun of him and his naïveté.

After he had been staring warily at his scrambled eggs for about ten minutes, he startled as Meg ripped him from his thoughts.

“Is something wrong, Clarence?”

The omega hurried to pick up his fork and pushed some eggs into his mouth before answering.

“No, I’m fine. I was just thinking about which herbs I need to pick up to dry today.”

Meg looked at him with mild suspicion in her eyes. But in the end, she only shrugged.

 

>><< 

 

When Castiel entered Missouri’s chamber, he was surprised to find the beta instead of Alfie. Usually, Missouri would be in town until noon, helping out at the small hospital.

“Castiel. You are late. Alfie went out without you. Dorothy is with him.”

“Went out?”

“Yes, he wanted to collect herbs around the Old Tree since it should start snowing again any day now, or so Rufus assumes. And that old man is rarely wrong – about the weather, anyway. In all other cases, he is mostly wrong.”

The Old Tree was a place in the forest near the town wall. Castiel had been there before with Alfie, also in the company of Dorothy – who had made no secret about how boring she found it was to watch a couple of omegas picking up flowers. She had been scanning the woods around like she desperately desired an attack, just to have something to do. Her attitude unsettled Castiel a bit, but Alfie had only explained she could always join them or make herself useful by holding the baskets. Unless she wanted to tell the next fever patient that there was nothing to be done for them since collecting medicine was not an exciting enough task for a shifter. Surprisingly, that shut her up.

“He went out about an hour ago. If you hurry, you can still join him for a while, I assume.”

Castiel nodded and left.

As he walked through the gate of the castle and along the town alleys, his steps slowed down. He had never left the stronghold on his own. But no one held him back and he just went on until he came to the town wall. The guards at the gate looked at him with worry.

“Good morning, Castiel. Where are you heading to?”  Castiel had never met the alpha before so he was a bit surprised to be addressed by name.

“I… ahem, I just wanted to join Samandriel at the Old Tree. Collecting herbs for the sick.”

The other guard frowned lightly. “And you are all alone? Want me to accompany you?”

“No, thank you. It is only a few steps anyway.”

The woman looked like she wanted to say something else, but then she only waved friendly, and Castiel walked slowly into the forest.

He frowned lightly, thinking back on how he had spent weeks trying to figure out a way he could leave the town on his own without anyone holding him back – obviously, that would not be the hard part.

He had been so caught up in his surprise about how easily he could leave the town grounds, it was only after about half a mile that he realised he had probably walked into the wrong direction. He was suddenly alone in the forest, and there was such an eerie silence surrounding him that it had his stomach churn. Since he was not sure where he needed to turn next to find the Old Tree, he decided it would be best to just take the same route back. Maybe ask the guards for directions, as embarrassing as this might be after his words from before.

Ten minutes later, Castiel noticed that his plan had not worked out.

How could this be? He had not even gone very far. How did he manage to get lost after only 15 minutes? Instead of concentrating on how he could sneak out of town, he should have paid closer attention to find his way around in the open Winchester lands.

Castiel was not used to being alone in the wild, and suddenly everything seemed frightening to him. For a moment, he even felt like someone – or something – was hiding in the bushes surrounding him. But the cold air stayed silent.

He tried to take a couple of deep breaths. He knew he was not truly lost. He was on Winchester lands, so there was no imminent danger. Everyone knew of his relationship to Dean, so no one would attack and try to claim him. Probably. He could pick up stones or something else to mark his way and make sure he would not go in circles and just try to walk in every direction for a few minutes until he reached the town wall again. And then he would just follow until he found a gate. Once back in town, the castle was easy enough to find – as it towered above the other houses.

To try and find Alfie suddenly seemed insignificant.

Just as he had calmed down again and picked up some shining white stones, his hackles raised. He did not know why, but he was certain someone was watching him. And it could never be a good sign when someone watched you, remaining hidden themselves. He heard a rustling sound, then some twigs cracked – and without another thought, Castiel started running in the opposite direction.

His own heart beat so loud, he could not be sure whether or not he was still being followed. If he had ever been. In panic, he turned around to see if someone was behind him, not slowing down but rather speeding up more.

Until – thud! – he ran into something solid and felt strong arms around him, holding him up before he could fall down.

Castiel opened his mouth to scream, but then he heard a familiar drawl.

“Castiel? Are you all right?”

Castiel looked up and straight into Benny’s face. The alpha had a concerned expression on his face, and Castiel felt relief wash over him. Never before had he been so happy to see the intimidating man. Who started to give him a gentle shaking.

“Castiel? What is wrong?”

Castiel exhaled heavily and turned to look behind himself. There was obviously no one after him. The tension of being alone in the woods had probably just stirred his imagination. He felt quite ridiculous all of a sudden.

“Nothing.” Castiel almost chuckled. “It is nothing. I just … I was looking for Alfie, but I must have taken a wrong turn…” To deflect from his embarrassing situation, he asked: “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I had a bit of free time at my hands and I decided to scan the forest for a while.” There was a slight blush on the alpha’s face. “You should not go out of town alone until you know your way around, Castiel. The Winchester borders are constantly guarded, but it is not impossible for someone to break through. And the forest is vast – if you get lost, it might take a while until someone finds you.” There was sincere concern in the alpha’s voice. “But I can bring you to the Old Tree if you want to.”

Castiel considered that for a second. But with Dorothy _and_ Benny around, he would not have any chance to talk to Alfie in private anyway. Also, his legs were still shaking.

“No, thank you. I will go back and help Missouri for a while. If you could just point me in the direction of the next gate.”

Benny looked him over and raised an eyebrow. “I will gladly accompany you back home. If Dean finds out I left you alone in the forest after you just lost orientation and still look like a scared pup, no knife will protect me from that.”

There was a smile in Benny’s eyes and Castiel returned it. While they walked back to the palace, Castiel felt almost bad for having been anything but amiable to the alpha for the last month. He did not seem as scary to him anymore.

But nonetheless, Castiel was still surprised at his own boldness when he heard himself ask:

“So, do you often watch Alfie from afar?”

“Excuse me?” Benny stumbled and nearly lost balance. Castiel felt oddly smug about it.

“Oh, nothing. I just have noticed how often you are _coincidentally_ near the young man whenever you have some _free time at your hands_.” They walked in silence for long minutes, and Castiel thought that giving no answer at all could be perfectly eloquent sometimes. “Then why are you always so abrasive to him? Do you think Dean will not approve of your courtship?”

Again, there was a long silence, until Benny hesitantly answered: “The boy is just too young. He does not know yet what he wants. And I should not confuse him further. You know, the young are so easily impressed.”

Castiel frowned until he realised what Benny might be referring to. “You mean, when you saved him from that alpha? Five years ago?” Benny nodded; and Castiel stopped, forcing Benny to halt as well. He looked the alpha directly in the eyes, not backing down this time. “You know, the _boy_ is a young man by now. And he has watched you for half a decade. Closely. I don’t even doubt that he noticed you because you appeared as some white knight in shining armour – but he is not stupid. I am sure he has seen both the good and the bad in you. He has clearly made up his mind. And you might be twice his age now, but you are certainly not an old man yet.” The omega paused, frowning. “But maybe you don’t want him. That’s all right. Then let him down gently, and don’t follow him around anymore.” Castiel took a deep breath and raised his chin. “Think about it.”

Abruptly, he started walking again, with a brooding Benny trotting a few steps behind.

When they finally arrived at the inner side of the castle walls, Castiel saw Dean in a seemingly vivid conversation with Cole and Cesar as well as Sam, Jess, Charlie and Meg. Every single one of that group had at least one corn cub in hands. Meg was the first one to notice Castiel, and the alpha winked at him – the omega could not help his giggle at the absurd picture before him.

As soon as he saw Castiel, Dean interrupted his conversation and waved at him: “Hey, Cas. What are you doing?”

Mate.

Suddenly, Castiel was really flustered. He had not meant to see Dean before he had managed to get some answers. He also remembered how the two of them had lain on his bed last night and he felt a light blush creeping up his face. He swallowed and tried to sound as nonchalant as possible when he answered.

“Nothing much. I was just about to help Missouri sort through her pots. Benny was kind enough to accompany me.”

The alpha next to him, however, was more elaborate. “I just found Castiel in the forest where he had wandered off ways. He was trying to find Alfie and Dorothy, but he got lost.”

Dean moved so fast, Castiel could hardly see it until the alpha was right next to him. “What? Are you all right, Cas? You should not go out alone as long as you are not used to the place. You could have asked me.”

Castiel felt embarrassed that everyone around now knew he had been stupid enough to get lost and needed to be saved by a big alpha. Which was exactly why he would have preferred if Benny had not mentioned it.

“I am fine, really. Nothing worth mentioning.”

He threw a glare at Benny, but the alpha only shrugged. And despite his embarrassment, Castiel had to admit he had been grateful that the alpha had found him and led him back home – and to show his appreciation, mixed with the guilt, remembering he had never been too kind to him, Castiel let his gaze soften and said: “Thank you, alpha. I am grateful for the escort.”

And just like the omega had been taught was proper in such an occurrence, Castiel tipped his head to the side and laid his throat open to Benny.

And then, at least a dozen things happened at the same time.

The first thing Castiel noticed was how Benny widened his eyes, and the alpha gave off a scent of --- fear? In an instant, he ducked his head and even bared his neck while he cowered in on himself. But what truly scared Castiel, was the scent behind him. He turned around and saw Dean, snarling, canines longer than they should be in human form, stance vigorous. The alpha did not look at Castiel at all but fixated Benny with gold eyes, like his wolf was about to charge at the older alpha any second.

Castiel was scared. And whatever had caused the sudden change of atmosphere, he was sure it was his fault.

“Brother, please, calm down. We can sort this another way.” Benny’s voice was calm and low.

Castiel turned to Dean to apologise, to say anything, but when he looked at the aggressive alpha, his mouth turned dry. Slowly Cole and Cesar walked towards them and positioned each other at Dean’s sides while Sam was standing next to Castiel, casually forming a border between Dean and Benny. In shock, Castiel realised how Charlie went right up to Dean and stroked over his forearm.

Slowly, Benny turned around and walked away from the group. Castiel was impressed that the alpha was able to turn his back to such a ferocious shifter like Dean in that moment – but it seemed to be the only way to advert a fight in Dean’s current mood.

As Benny slowly walked away, Castiel could see that everyone was watching the scene, no one daring to move. Apart from their group, there were about a dozen people around, some of them baring their necks in Dean’s direction. And some were glaring at Castiel with open hostility. The omega cowered in on himself as much as possible, almost like he was trying to make himself invisible.

“Alpha? Come on, let’s sit down for a moment.” It was Cole, and he and Cesar were leading Dean away to a nearby bench, Charlie was still holding onto Dean’s hand.

With that, the scene slowly set into motion again. Most people were cautiously moving away from the group – with one exception: Suddenly Alfie walked right up to Castiel, face white with fury.

“How could you, Castiel? I thought we were friends!”

The omega threw his basket with various herbs to the ground and stomped off in the direction of the castle.

Castiel still hadn’t moved an inch, too scared and too confused to do or say anything.  

“Come on, Clarence. I feel like we need to have a little chat.”

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Lots and lots of talking in this one. ;-)

Chapter NINE

 

“Come on, Clarence. I feel like we need to have a little chat.”

Suddenly, Meg was at Castiel’s side and gently dragged him from the courtyard towards the next door. Castiel was still too much in shock to do anything else than follow her wordlessly, until he heard Dean growl. When he looked towards the alpha, Dean was fixating Meg – and Sam quickly stepped up to them. The beta looked bewildered but not as irritated as some of the other shifters around.

“I’ll go with them,” Sam addressed his brother, who did not look any happier but at least stopped growling. Castiel was confused since Dean had never minded him being alone with Meg – or anyone else – before.

As soon as they were inside the Castle, Meg led them to the next empty room on the ground floors she could find. It happened to be a classroom, and Castiel sank on one of the small chairs, feeling exhausted after the events of this morning.

First, he had been all confused about the status of his relationship with Dean, then, he got lost and may or may not have been chased through the woods, just to run into an alpha he had always been a bit afraid of – and in the end, he had obviously made a terrible mistake in front of a crowd – and that had resulted in Dean barely being able to control his wolf. Castiel could guess it had had something to do with his interaction with Benny, but even if he had made an obvious faux-pas – he was still disturbed by the intense reaction of everyone around.

Sam and Meg pulled chairs towards Castiel and sat down respectively, so that the three of them were seated in the smallest circle possible.

After a short silence, in which everyone seemed to wait for someone else to start the conversation, Sam hesitantly asked:

“So, Castiel, tell me what happened here. What were you thinking?”

“What?” The omega was still confused and scared, but he started to get irritated as well. “I don’t know! I don’t even know what exactly it is I did wrong.”

Both Sam and Meg studied him; Meg with mild surprise and Sam wore something closer to distrust on his features. It unsettled Castiel since he had begun to consider the beta a close friend.

“Look, Clarence, you are among allies here. And we don’t believe Crowley’s crazy speculations – but after that stunt you just pulled, he will find a lot more people willing to listen to his theories.”

“What? What does Crowley suspect?” Castiel asked wide-eyed. This conversation had quickly turned in an unexpected direction.

“Well, he seems to think you were sent by a rival pack to wreak havoc. You know, to try and exploit Dean in any possible way, play the alphas off each other, bring chaos to the hierarchy, weaken the pack – and today seemed very much like, if that was truly your goal, you were doing a splendid job.” Castiel just stared at Meg with a shocked expression, and she raised her hands in a placating manner. “Not that I believe any of that. Neither does Sam here.” One look at Sam and his doubtful expression had her turn quickly back towards Castiel. “So, for goodness sake, why were you baring your neck towards Benny? And in plain sight.”

“Well… I was… I was showing my gratitude. Because he found me in the woods and brought me back.” Castiel stated the obvious – or so he thought.

There was a long enough pause for the omega to start fidgeting again, until slowly, the confusion on Sam’s face cleared. “Gratitude? So, baring your neck is like saying thank you?” He frowned sceptically. “Is that what you mean?”

“Well, in a way. It is what is expected of omegas, isn’t it? Respect the alphas.”

“Respect?” Sam asked in a musing tone. There was a low chuckle from Meg, and Sam shut her up with an outraged look. He turned to the omega again, talking slowly, like he did whenever he taught the children something he deemed especially important. “Castiel… this is probably just an unfortunate misunderstanding. Can you explain to me in which circumstances, in your upbringing, an omega would bare their throat?”

Castiel’s mind was running wild, trying to fit all the new puzzle pieces together, but in the end, he just decided to answer Sam’s question as precise as possible without any assumptions beforehand. Whatever he had just done wrong, at least this seemed to be his opportunity to get some answers.

“Like I said, to show respect. Omegas are supposed to appear compliant to all alphas. You might bare your neck to indicate that you won’t fight back, or when you are scared, but also simply to show gratefulness, respect or, in case of your mate, devotion. There are many reasons why an omega should bare, some alphas basicallly expect it all the time. My uncle, who was the pack leader, certainly did.”

Both Sam and Meg needed a few seconds to take this in. Meg’s expression was hard to read, but Sam seemed almost appalled. Slowly, he started to explain, and again, Castiel felt reminded of the teacher: “This seems to be a very different concept than what we live by, Castiel. In these lands, not only in Winchester but also most of our neighbouring territories, there are only two reasons for an omega to lay their throat open. For one, like you said, if they are scared. It is the easiest way to appease all alphas in close proximity. The other reason is to … well, to signal an alpha or a beta that…”

“…you would not be averse to welcome them between your legs.” Meg finished Sam’s stuttering with a smirk.

“What?” For a few seconds, Castiel’s mind was unable to comprehend her words.

Sam was surprisingly red in the face, and Meg just continued smirking. But before she could say something else, Sam interrupted her sternly:

“Well, it does not necessarily have to be that… crude. But --- it _is_ commonly seen as an invitation for a certain degree of intimacy. It does not have to directly lead to the bedroom, however. I know Jess often does it just when she wants me near, or for consolation – either for her or for my sake. As a beta, I might not react as strongly towards the gesture as an alpha would, but it still feels very reassuring and… flattering, I guess.”

Castiel was still gaping – all the while his head was playing through the times he had been offering his neck to Dean. In countless situations that had definitely nothing to do with fear. Gods, just the thought that all the people in the Hall had assumed he had basically been _propositioning_ Dean! In front of everyone! Suddenly, all the cat calls and lewd remarks made sense. He remembered that the alpha almost always leaned in towards him, even scent-marked him when they were alone, but he had never gone further than that. Intending to be as honest as possible, Castiel asked his question out loud, his complexion a deep red by now.

“Then why did Dean never do anything? If what you say is true, then he must have thought I was practically inviting him into my bed. Why am I still unmarked?”

“Of course, he did not claim you yet!” Said Sam indignantly at the same time as Meg leaned forwards, with an even brighter smirk than before, and asked: “What do you mean, he never _did_ anything?”

As Castiel blushed again, Sam silenced her with another angry look.

“Listen, Castiel, we should probably start from the beginning. We will just talk everything out. Don’t feel embarrassed and don’t feel bad if you don’t understand something. Just ask what you need to know.” He cleared his throat when Castiel nodded. “So why don’t you tell us how this worked in your old pack. How did an omega show interest in an alpha or beta?”

Castiel thought about this for a moment. “Well, they didn’t. Omegas were always separated from alphas, other than family – until they were about to get mated. And then, the alpha would choose the omega. They would either arrange a mating ceremony with the omega’s guardian in exchange for money or other inducements. Or the alphas would simply fight for an omega.” Castiel could hardly hold back a shiver when he thought back on the gruesome combat over him, and the possible pact with the Angyals. “Whoever defeated the other alphas would capture the omega. And then they would claim them, mark them as theirs, either with or without an official mating bond.” He frowned again. “Omegas don’t get to say anything in this matter. They are at the bottom of the hierarchy, and they are supposed to do as they are told.”

“Oh, sweetie.” For the first time, Meg had completely sobered up and there was no hint of humour in her eyes as she took one of Castiel’s hands.

Sam blinked a few times, looking like there were a hundred things he wanted to say and did not know where to start, until he settled for: “The bottom of the hierarchy?”

Castiel nodded. “We are no skilful fighters, not as strong or fast as everyone else. Not as aggressive. So, we have no way of climbing in ranks.”

“Castiel, this is not as we see it here.” Sam leaned forwards and looked Castiel directly in the eyes, obviously anxious that the other man understood every word he was about to say. “Omegas are… _precious_. They are rare, and cherished by the whole pack. Omegas are not considered at the bottom of the hierarchy – they are more like… _outside_ of it, if you will. That is why they are so important.” Castiel did not understand – and he obviously did not look like it, either, because Sam took a deep breath before he continued explaining.

“Like you said yourself, omegas show not the same aggression as everyone else. They are not as easily provoked – and for that, they are more level-headed. Alphas would often do the stupid thing just because they think it is somehow brave or because they want to prove their superiority. They might see a simple request as a challenge and lunge out for no reason. And we betas are only remotely better than them. However, no one will see the request of an omega as an affront.” Sam licked his lips, clearly searching for the right words.  “This gives omegas a unique position. They are able to say things no one else can. That is why omegas are always welcome to the Counsel or to act as teachers or healers – no one sees them as offending or insulting, but everyone respects them.”

Sam paused while his brows furrowed deeply. “I don’t understand how your pack could have seen this differently. This seems so natural – for alphas even more than for me as a beta. The instinct to protect, to see the omega happy. A content omega does wonders to a pack. Everyone is more balanced and less prone to start a fight. If omegas are scared or in any form of distress – everyone else will feel antsy. But they can make everyone feel more at ease as well.

“I have witnessed this many times. A group of alphas on the verge of a fight – until an omega appears to calm them down or simply talk some sense into them. And yes, they might not be as physically strong, but no one in this pack will ever see omegas as weak. They usually have a strong will and a sharp mind.” Another deep breath. “Being bonded to an omega is considered a great honour, and we have strict rules about life-long matings, like they are not to be claimed before 21, or no one is allowed to take an unmated omega in heat – even if one would ask them to. And of course, any alpha, or beta, who approaches an omega unwanted will be instantly punished. Since they are to be protected, above all else.”

There was a moment of silence, and Castiel tried to process Sam’s words. They matched everything he had experienced since he had arrived in the pack, and some things that had always confused him suddenly made sense. How freely Alfie moved around, and all the times Jess had reminded Dean to do something he did not seem to particularly look forward to. The fact that Charlie often visited the Council, even without her mate. Could it be that Dorothy would sometimes accompany her, rather than the other way around?

Meg, who had been surprisingly quiet for a while, ripped him out of his musings, her tone wary. “Wait, Clarence, you said, in your old pack, alphas would win omegas in a fight, yes? And you just wondered why Dean has not marked you yet. Does that mean… Castiel, do you think you somehow belong to Dean?”

Both Meg’s and Sam’s eyes widened when Castiel gave a jerky nod. Then Meg cackled out a short laugh.

“This is glorious. And it certainly explains all the mixed signals.” She sobered up quickly, though – while Sam was still staring with wide eyes. “To make this very clear: You are not, in any way, owned by our fearless leader, Castiel.”

“But he captured me in a fight with alphas. And no one challenged his claim.” He remembered something and yelled, almost accusingly: “You have alpha fights here as well! Alfie told me about it. He often says that he hopes Benny will fight for him once he is old enough to be claimed.”

“Yeah, we do have _alpha fights_ , but they are just--- symbolic. You know, for the alphas, and also quite a few betas, to show off. In this pack, they are not allowed to inflict any permanent wounds, so they suffer hardly more than a few scratches.” Meg grimaced. “In my old pack, quite a few alphas have lost a limb or two in these challenges. But even though it is just a playful combat here, they still like to show off their skills. It is a way to show they are worthy, after all. Omegas are often drawn to alphas, and some obviously enjoy the display of strength. But this does not mean they have to allow the winner to claim them. In the end, they can pick whoever they want.”

“Yeah, I had just lost in a fight against Dean when Jess told me she wanted to be my mate. And that brings me to a very important fact, Castiel: The omega is always the one who chooses their mate. Alphas might challenge each other as much as they like – the omega picks whomever they want from the group of alphas and betas which are trying to win them over. And that might be the strongest or most aggressive one – or it might be the most sensitive or the smartest. And the omega always sets the pace – whether there will be a short courtship, or the omega chooses to wait for years. And usually, an omega has a whole line of admirers, waiting for a chance to win them over.”

Castiel frowned and he could not stop himself from mumbling almost grumpily: “I don’t have a whole string of admirers.”

He was surprised to hear both Meg and Sam chuckle at his childish outburst.

“Well, after you so enthusiastically permitted Dean to court you…”

“He what? I did what?”

Castiel stared at Sam with disbelief. The beta lost his amused look and sighed.

“Oh, this is all such a mess. Castiel, what does it mean to you when an alpha hands an omega food from their own hands?”

 “Well, the omega is supposed to only accept what their alpha offers them and nothing else. But mostly it is symbolic – so you can also eat what a servant brings you. But I know some alphas who will only allow their omega to eat what they personally hand them.” He shuddered at the thought of Zachariah.

Meg chimed in: “So when Dean gives you a plate, you think it is his job as _your alpha_ to provide you with food?”

Castiel nodded hesitantly – he would not have explained it with those words exactly, but it was close enough –, and Sam sighed again.

“For us, the offering of food has a strong meaning as well. The first night you ate with us, Dean offered you a plate from his own hands – in a room full of members of his pack, no less. And with that, he officially asked for permission to prove himself as a worthy mate to you. And by accepting it, you agreed. Not only that, but you even bared your neck to him. In front of everyone. So, we all kind of assumed this was already set in stone. I mean, not like you needed to be mated before spring comes around, but you never showed any interest in others. So no one even tried to prove themselves as good mates, not to mention that no one wanted to interfere with Dean. And you always seemed very… appreciative to Dean’s attempts to court you.”

Meg chuckled again. Castiel’s jaw had dropped sometime during Sam’s explanation and now he was desperately trying to form words again.

“And how would one prove to be a good mate?”

“Well, by attending and caring for you. Omegas would also often assign little tasks. Not always directly; it might be enough to indicate how impressed one would be if an alpha caught a deer in this time of year…” Sam answered with a raised eyebrow.

Something in Castiel’s brain clicked at Sam’s not-too-subtle hint. “Dean had seemed _very happy_ when I told him I liked the meat on that first night...”

“Of course, he was. He thought you were asking him to hunt for you – and that is something he knows he is good at. So yes, he was overjoyed. While the rest of us were a little bit disappointed. You know, personally, I would have loved if you told him something along the lines of: No one has ever written a poem about the radiant blue of my eyes and recited it in front of a crowd.” Meg chuckled, amused by her own words. “Now, that would have shown true commitment.”

Despite his confusion, there was suddenly a bright smile on Castiel’s face: “Dean was hunting for me!”

“Ugh, Cas. Can you do me a favour and not look like that should you ever talk to Dean about the hunting part. I was just starting to enjoy spending every other morning with my girls again.” A soft smile glinted in Sam’s eyes.

There was a long pause in which all three tried to sort their thoughts. Castiel could hardly comprehend how he misunderstood Dean’s intentions so profoundly – there was a huge difference between owning someone and trying to court them. Castiel admitted it was mostly his own fault. For one, he had been raised in a very different pack, so he naturally applied their rules to the Winchesters without thinking much about it. And then he had been desperately trying to fit in. He had observed rather than asked questions and he had always tried to appear like he fully understood the ways of the Eastern packs. After all, he did not want to draw too much attention to himself, did not want to be asked too many questions in turn – always scared that someone would easily detect his lies beneath his ignorance.

“But you all seemed to think that I belonged to Dean already.” Castiel pointed one finger at Meg. “You even said so on different occasions!”

“Well yeah, but I did not mean like he _owned_ you. But you seemed very interested; with the constant neck-baring and all. And I definitely did not want to end up as a tool for Dean to prove his dominance to you, so I wanted to make sure no one thought I was making a pass at you.” She frowned at Castiel. “And I wanted you to know I acknowledged your preference for Dean, despite my natural flirting skills. Especially in the beginning, before we came to know each other better. You know, some omegas would do that, especially in my old pack. They liked to see alphas fight for them. They… ah… sometimes, they riled them up against each other.”

Castiel’s face turned white again. “Like today. You all thought I might have deliberately turned Dean against his friend.”

“Well, _I_ didn’t.” Meg winked. “But some had already started to listen to Crowley’s assumptions. And your behaviour sometimes seemed a bit off. Like you were leading Dean on – to halfway reject him again. With time, this will just rile any alpha up.”

 “You also accepted Dean’s courtship, at least in his eyes, and thus you were not expected to start anything with another alpha. If an omega encourages a single alpha as clearly as you have done, they would stay faithful – at least, until they officially rejected them as a mate.” Sam cleared his throat and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “So, according to our traditions, it had appeared like you were deliberately starting a fight between the alphas. And since they are such close friends, it seemed rather cruel. I think if it had been anyone but Benny, Dean might have seriously injured him this morning, believing that this is what you had wanted him to do.”

Castiel felt sick. He could have involuntarily been responsible for a death today. He leaned forwards, head between his knees to fight the dizziness.

“It’s all right, Castiel. Nothing happened. It helped that you are not yet mated to Dean. But, just some advice – if you ever do form a mating bond, with anyone in this pack: don’t ever bare your throat to someone who is not your mate or another omega, maybe family. Unless you want to see them hurt. It will be seen as either a sign of fear or attraction – and your mate won’t be happy with either of those possibilities. Much less will their wolf.”

Castiel shivered. He was still troubled that his act of gratitude had been considered a sign of unfaithfulness or deceit. Baring was so ingrained in him, it did feel like saying thank you. Sometimes he would do it with honest emotion and because it felt right, sometimes it came automatically, because it was trained as the appropriate reaction. He had always hated it when Michael expected him to act submissive just because of his gender, but he would have never thought it could cause such trouble.

“And it certainly did not help that you called Benny _alpha_ ,” Meg added drily, and Castiel frowned at her. He had heard Winchester shifters use the title before, even if it was not as common as in Heavensgate. “Again, as an omega it is not expected of you. And when you do, it will always have a strong impact. So, only use it after someone literally saved your life, or the whole pack, or of course, to flatter your mate.”

Meg let her last words be accompanied by a wink, but Castiel did not see it as he rubbed his hands over his temples, eyes closed. He had really made a mess today, and he wasn’t sure how to get out of it.

“Everyone will hate me for what I did today.”

“No need to be so dramatic, Clarence. We will explain that there had been an unfortunate misunderstanding. You are from a different pack, this is comprehensible.” Castiel was surprised by the almost sad smile on the alpha’s face. “But everyone might be a bit disappointed that you were not deliberately encouraging Dean.”

“Why? Why would they be? I am a stranger; surely they would like for Dean to mate someone they know or someone your pack could benefit from.”

Sam frowned at him, obviously not following Castiel’s line of reasoning. “It doesn’t really matter where you are from. We have lived with an unmated leader for too long now. Well over twenty years, to be precise – since our mother had died. And the pack would very much like to see Dean mated, sooner rather than later. For one, a mated alpha would be more content – and Dean had become more restless with every year now. And we will also be very happy for a countervailing force in leadership.”

“How do you mean?”

“With a mate, especially an omega mate, the pack will have someone else to address, to tell their worries. Dean, as most alphas, can be abrasive and belligerent – so, everyone is happy at the prospect of having someone else to turn to. Someone who would listen to their ideas unprejudiced. Don’t get me wrong, Dean is a good alpha and he always listens to the whole Council instead of making decisions on his own, but he is stubborn and sometimes it can be hard to make him listen. An omega is commonly more open to emphasize with different points of view. I am actually surprised that the pack hasn’t started to address you already.”

“Oh, they have; just yesterday Cesar shared a few plans with Clarence.” Meg chirped in.

“Oh yes, the corn, of course.” Sam allowed himself a short chuckle. “All I can say is, Jess will be very happy once Dean is mated. Since she is family, everyone considers her the closest omega to him and comes to her whenever they have a request. And I am sure Charlie will be just as glad when no one considers it her job to calm Dean down any more.”

Now, that was all very different from the job as an omega mate of a lead alpha that Castiel had been taught. The omega felt a tingle in his stomach at the thought of Cesar and that the alpha had addressed him because he thought Castiel would soon be his leader’s mate. Thinking about Cesar’s approach, another event came to Castiel’s mind. He had learned by now that there had been some major misunderstandings, so maybe his reasoning as to why he should not have used the knife was false as well.

“Then what about the knife? If omegas are not considered the lowest pack members, why am I not allowed to use Dean’s knife? Why was he so furious?”

“Oh Gods, Clarence! This has nothing to do with _allowing_ you anything. Like Sam explained, omegas are to be cherished and protected. Alphas will always crave to see them safe and happy. And just the thought that one might think they _needed_ the knife to protect themselves… As an omega, you basically should feel like you can say _anything_. And Dean was not furious, he was devastated. It was just lucky there were not many wolves present – or he might have thrown himself out of the window in shame. The knife is used by alphas and betas to appear as vulnerable as possible through the self-inflicted wound and thus, to shield themselves from a potential attack of the higher-ranking alpha. But they would never lift a finger against an omega.” Meg licked her lips nervously. “Dean is lead alpha and he felt like he failed at making you feel protected. And it was so much worse since you are the omega he is trying to win over. As a mate. How do you think he felt that the one person he wants to feel safe most of all felt like he needed the knife – as protection against him?”

“Oh,” was all the eloquence Castiel could muster right now.

“And it doesn’t help, either, that you have to actually hurt yourself with the knife. But fortunately, I was able to ease his worries. Since I thought you had misunderstood my words and deemed you _needed_ the knife for any kind of request during Council. Like it was protocol, no matter who you were.” She squeezed the hand she was still holding. “I am sorry, Clarence, I never thought you considered yourself too low to be allowed to ask for the knife. Or rather that _we_ thought of you like that.”

Castiel just blinked. It felt like two forces were fighting for his attention: There was his mind, desperately trying to process the amount of information he had just been given – and the warm feeling in his stomach. Dean was courting him. Because he wanted to form a mating bond. And he was waiting for Castiel to accept him.

Mate.

But just as the warm feeling had won him over, his mind started yelling at him again: Dean would never want him as a mate if he knew Castiel was an Angyal. Even if he was able to clarify this mistake.

They sat in silence for a couple of minutes. Then Sam slowly raised from the much too small chair. “You need to talk to Dean, Castiel. Be as honest as you were with us, and if you are unsure about anything, please, just ask from now on. And we will try to keep in mind that you may not understand everything that seems self-evident to us.” He tapped a hand over the back of the chair absentmindedly. “If you don’t mind, I will send Dean to your room right now. There, you won’t be interrupted.”

Castiel nodded, still deeply lost in thought. Sam studied him for a moment.

“If it is all right with you, I will tell him some of the high points of our conversation before you meet.”

Castiel nodded again, this time with a relieved breath. He would very much like if he did not have to start the conversation. He knew he needed to talk to Dean, but he dreaded that conversation all the same. What was the right way of saying: I really did not mean to lure your friend into my bed? Then he thought about something else he needed to sort out with the alpha.

“Oh, and Sam? Could you not tell anyone else about this yet? I mean other than the obvious misunderstanding with Benny just now?” He cleared his throat. “I mean about the whole courting thing.”

Sam nodded, a hopeful look on his face, and left the room. Castiel felt dizzy again. Meg reached for his other hand.

“You know, Clarence, when you talk to Dean – you should tell him everything.”

Castiel’s head jerked up. “What… what do you mean?”

“Where you come from and all that.”

Castiel tried to look confused. But he probably only appeared scared.

“I may not believe in the same conspiracies as Crowley – but I am not stupid, either. There are some things you are not telling us. Your story just doesn’t add up. I believe Dean is way too smitten with you to realise this yet, but most of the people you spend time with have their own theories. I mean, Cas… no nomad would know the things you do. You are too well educated. And the way you act around servants – like you have been waited on your whole life. And there is no way you would still be unmarked at your age as a member of a nomad pack, no matter how progressive. Omegas are so rare, and nomads live in small packs, they would have expected you to choose at a young age, if only for your protection. Dean is not usually this dense. And you should better tell him before his brain cells start working again”

Castiel opened his mouth, not sure what he was about to say yet. But Meg just waved him off. “You don’t have to tell _me_ , Clarence, but you should tell Dean. Not only because he wants you as his mate, but simply because he is the pack leader. Secrets can be dangerous. And the past has a way of catching up with all of us. If this could pose just the mildest complication with anyone other than yourself, it would not be fair to leave them in the dark after the Winchesters have accepted you so readily.”

She stood. “And be honest with the rest as well. Dean will not force himself on you if you don’t want him. But I think we both know that you do. You may not have consciously led him on, but don’t try to deny you are attracted to him. Tell him the whole truth. The rest will sort itself out. And now, I will go spread the rumour that you just wanted to thank Benny, and with Dean next to you, this was considered polite behaviour in your old pack. And everyone will forgive you.”

Well, maybe not everyone, Castiel thought.

“Oh my gods. Alfie!”

Castiel felt bad thinking about his friend. He obviously assumed Castiel had been making advances towards Benny – or had simply been trying to get him beaten to a pulp.

“Don’t worry. I will start right with the omega, and then I’ll move straight to the alpha. But I am sure you’ll have to talk to Alfie yourself, eventually. That boy sure likes his melodrama.”

With that, Meg closed the door behind herself.

After a few more seconds, Castiel hesitantly stood and headed for his room.

The tingling feeling in his stomach was suddenly not that pleasant any more.

 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter TEN

 

Castiel had already been waiting in his room for about an hour.

What had Dean taking so long?

The omega was nervous. He would have preferred to delay this talk with Dean until the next day, or maybe even the next week; after he had been able to sort his thoughts. But at the same time, this waiting made him edgy. And he knew it was only a matter of minutes until Dean would finally show up – Sam had seemed like he would make sure that his brother sought Castiel out, sooner rather than later.

Castiel had paced his room up and down for twenty minutes already – which is a long time, considering how small the space was.

Was Dean angry at him? Did he believe Castiel had deceived him on purpose?

He might even be talking to Crowley right now.

Castiel shook his head, hoping that it would help clear his mind. He tried not to think about Dean too much, but about how he, Castiel, felt about these developments. Would he have appreciated Dean’s attempt to court him if he had known what was happening? Probably not, at least not right after he had been separated from his friends and found himself in a strange pack. But now, after he had come to know the alpha? The happy blush spreading over his face was answer enough.

Yes, he would like to be Dean’s mate someday. But would Dean still want him – after he told the alpha the truth about his past? Castiel dreaded that part of their conversation most of all. But he knew Meg was right; Castiel needed to be completely honest. If nothing else, it was unfair to lie to a pack that had welcomed him with open arms. And what if either Michael or Zachariah did in fact show up to come look for him one day? At the very least, Dean needed to know this was a possibility.

Suddenly, Castiel heard a shuffling at his door, but since no one knocked, he assumed someone had probably only walked by. He was becoming so anxious that every little sound made him startle. With a huff, the omega sat down on the edge of his bed again, staring at the door like he could simply will Dean to appear. Not for the first time in the last hour did he wonder why the alpha was taking so long. But he reluctantly admitted to himself he was probably being unfair. After all, Dean had a lot of information to process as well. And Castiel was grateful that Sam had offered to explain his mistake first.

But despite his understanding, after ten more minutes, Castiel lost his patience and decided to search for the alpha himself. He opened the door in a forceful movement – and did not have to look too far.

Dean was standing in front of the door, sheepishly glancing to the floor.

“Dean!”

“Hey, Cas. I was just about to knock. We should probably talk.” He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “That is, unless you have somewhere else to be.”

The alpha sounded almost hopeful that Castiel would come up with an excuse. And the omega seriously considered this opportunity for a possible delay. But no, they needed to talk. And Castiel would probably only become more anxious the longer he waited.

“Actually, I was just on my way to find you.” He stepped back to give Dean room to enter.

Dean seemed unsure as he stood in the middle of the small room, and Castiel was surprised to see the usually cocky alpha so flustered. He closed the door and sat down on the bed; Dean paced the room just as Castiel had done before.

The alpha occasionally halted and opened his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out. After the third attempt at speech, Castiel could not take it anymore.

“Dean, please, sit down.”

The alpha looked at Castiel like he had forgotten the other man was still in the room. He sat down on the bed next to the omega, but jumped back up after half a second.  He pulled a chair out from under the table and sat down across from Castiel, at a safe distance, or so it seemed.

“Look, Cas, I’m sorry,” the alpha said at the same time as Castiel mumbled: “I am so sorry, Dean.”

For the first time, the two men looked directly into each other’s eyes, and both smiled sheepishly.

Dean was the first one to talk again: “There is no need for you to apologise, Cas. This is all on me.” He let out a long breath. “You are not from around here, and I should not have assumed you understood all our customs. But it all seemed so obvious, and you just always seemed so… well accustomed. Like you fitted right in.” Dean made a movement like he was about to stand up again, but then instead gripped the armrests as if trying to physically stop himself from moving. “But just the thought that you assumed I somehow own you… Cas, I am so sorry for what you must have went through. That you thought you had to…”

Castiel could hardly take the guilt and horror on Dean’s features anymore, so he leaned forwards and laid a hand on Dean’s knee. “Dean, I promise you, you did not make me do anything against my will. Yes, I did think I was yours, but that was just why I was so confused that you did not actually take… advantage of that. You always waited for me to be ready. And I might have been scared and nervous in the beginning, but not for a long time now.”

Dean just stared at the hand on his knee. Whatever Castiel had expected from this conversation, he had never anticipated Dean to look so forlorn. The alpha licked his lips nervously and went on like he had not heard a single word the omega had said.

“Cas… I … what happened last night…”

“Dean.” Castiel squeezed Dean’s knee and was relieved once the alpha finally looked up at him. “Dean, I very much enjoyed what happened last night. And you did not do anything that I did not want. You never have. In fact, I have been quite huffed when you left.” There was a shy smile tugging at his lips for a second. “And this… misunderstanding is just as much my fault as it is yours. I have been confused why you had not claimed me yet, but I could have just asked… anyone about this. But I didn’t.”

For a second, Dean had marginally relaxed his posture, but now he just hissed like someone had slapped him.

“Castiel, I would never claim you without your consent. And never ever before we formed a mating bond.”

“So, that’s the preferred order? No marking without a mating ceremony beforehand?” Castiel’s tone was light, trying to coax Dean into a better mood, but the alpha only pressed his lips together into a thin line.

“It is the _only_ order. The alpha, or beta, may court an omega until said omega declares they want to bond. And only after the mating ceremony is the alpha allowed to leave a permanent mark, again only with the omega’s consent. Same goes for spending a heat with the omega.”

Dean said those words with a hoarse voice, like he was trying not to yell; then he rubbed a hand over his forehead, sighing deeply.

“Look, Castiel, after I found you… my wolf had been attracted to you from the beginning, and you… you did seem quite interested as well.” Castiel blushed at the thought of how often he had bared his neck to Dean in the first 24 hours alone. “At first, I did not know whether you were scared. I mean, after Edgar, your scent reeked of fear, sure, but I did not know whether it was of me or simply because of what had happened to you before. But you just… you kept baring your throat to me.”

“Yes, Dean. I can see how this must have been confusing. And I don’t blame you for anything. Look, I am sure Sam told you this already, but where I am from, omegas were supposed to offer their necks to alphas all the time, as a sign of submission. It was expected. And I _was_ grateful to you, so...” Castiel ended his statement with an insecure shrug.

Dean scoffed. “Well, we don’t use this as a sign of gratitude; or submission.” There was a small impish grin on Dean’s face, just for the blink of an eye. “Well, maybe it is a tiny little bit about submission. But it is mostly about trust. And for an omega to lay their throat open – that is a big show of trust. And I fear we alphas really get off on that. On someone allowing such vulnerability, the subtle invitation to take care of them.”

“I understand now that this gesture has different meanings in our packs.” Castiel cleared his throat. “I should have realised this sooner, and I am sorry I didn’t. I guarantee you, this morning, I only wanted to thank Benny, nothing more.”

Dean nodded stiffly, and Castiel had a feeling that the reminder of this little scene was still somewhat painful to Dean. The alpha furrowed his brows and then hesitantly continued to explain.

“Cas, I am not trying to justify my behaviour here, I just need you to understand. It was not only the baring. You also told me you were untouched, on that first day – and I can see now why you might have done this.” Dean looked like he was about to be sick for a moment. “But at the time, it seemed pretty straightforward to me. I thought this meant you wanted to take it slow or something like that. You had just rolled onto your back to let me take care of your wounds, after all. And you even leaned into me, in front of the others, like you were trying to show Benny and Jody that they did not even need to try. That you already had a preference.” Dean swallowed. “Now I know you thought that I… won you, like a prize…

“The idea you might think of me like that did not even cross my mind.” Dean looked at Castiel with almost pleading eyes. “When I heard you had lost your pack, I offered you a home – and I thought you understood that we did not treat strangers as the Romans do. I even introduced you as a new pack member. This should have made it obvious that you are welcome here. Or so I thought.” Dean blushed lightly. “And as I said, I liked you, my wolf definitely did as well, so after you arrived at the Castle, I wanted to do this right, and I asked your permission to court you. At least, that is what I thought I did.”

Despite the seriousness of their conversation, the warm feeling in Castiel’s stomach returned.

“That was a pretty fast decision.”

“Well, I am not exactly a pup any more, nor am I known for brooding over decisions. It might seem impulsive to you, but courting is not the same as a mating bond. If we found out we didn’t fit, we could still call it off.” Dean looked sheepishly to the floor.

“And?”

“And I thought you were to be _my_ omega. My wolf certainly did. The fact that you bared to me so easily just seemed to indicate you were sensing this as well. I realised you were still tense, and after all, you had been through a lot. Not to mention that my baby brother kept reminding me you might still be confused and needed some time to form a conscious decision. So I tried not to push, wait for you to make the first move. And after a while, you lost that scent of stress and fear, but you still seemed to single me out. And now I hear you did not even know what was going on!”

“I am sorry about that, Dean.”

Castiel’s words only seemed to aggravate Dean even more. “Please, stop apologising! This is not your fault. I should have made this clear, should have talked to you – instead of just slaying some deer like the Old Wolves might have done.”

Castiel smiled, and tried a different tactic. “You know, I am still very impressed with your hunting skills. Even more now that I know you have been hunting for me. I don’t think I ever met a wolf who could even track down game in this time of year, much less slay them.”

Dean rumbled lightly, not able to hide his pride at the omega’s words.

“Dean, listen, I might not have realised you have been trying to court me, but I still enjoyed your attention very much. I felt good about everything you did, and like you said, you never pushed me into anything. It’s just… my upbringing was very different from the Winchester ways.”

“Yeah, Sam told me as much. I cannot believe anyone would treat omegas like that. You must have been constantly scared or at least nervous.” Castiel ducked his head, embarrassed for no reason. “And this means your alphas must have been… short-tempered. Unbalanced.”

Castiel frowned, and for a second, he pondered whether that was the reason why all the alphas in Heavensgate were so vicious; because the omegas were not able to build a calming effect. It seemed absurd.

“Well, they were.” Castiel tried to focus on the problem at hand again. He was nervous how his next words would be received, but if he wanted to be honest, he better be honest about everything. He took a deep breath before saying: “But that is not the point right now. The important thing is: I like you, Dean. I might not have deliberately agreed to your courtship on my first day here, much less did I mean to encourage it, but by now, I definitely would.”

Dean blinked a few times, then a slow smile appeared on his face. He reached for Castiel’s hand, seemingly without realising it.

“Yeah?”

“Yes,” Castiel stated firmly.

“So, you will still let me try to win you over?”

Castiel pulled his hand out of Dean’s loose grasp and let his own fingers intertwine nervously. He licked his lips before answered: “Dean, I would happily encourage your courting if you still considered me as a possible mate.” Dean opened his mouth to say something, but Castiel did not give him the chance. “But there is something I need to tell you first, and I fear this might change the nature of our relationship. And not for the better.”

Dean tried to take Castiel’s hand again, but Castiel flinched back slightly, and he was almost relieved that Dean did not attempt to make any light-hearted promises.

“I have been lying to you, Dean. All of you. From the beginning.” Dean frowned, and Castiel had to take a deep breath before he was able to continue. Bluntly, he then announced: “I am not a nomad, Dean. And neither is all my family dead. My name is Castiel Angyal. I am the nephew of Michael.”

Castiel paused, giving Dean the opportunity to ask a question or throw a tantrum, but the alpha only had a blank look on his face.

After a whole minute, he suddenly roared: “So what? You mean Crowley is right? You came here to twist me around your finger? To weaken the pack?”

The alpha stood abruptly, while Castiel stayed seated on the bed, trying to keep as calm as possible. He had a feeling if he just yelled at the other man in offense, the situation might get out of hand.

“No, Dean! This is not what I am saying. Please, will you listen to me.” Castiel motioned at the chair Dean had just left, and with a glare, the alpha sat back down, jaw clenching.

“What I and Sam have told you about how omegas are treated in my old pack, all that is true. As an omega of the Angyal family, I always knew that one day, I would be battered off to mate an alpha – without anyone asking for my consent.”

Dean let out a growl, and Castiel chose to take that as a good sign.

“I have been kept away from any alphas all my life, with few exceptions of close family members. My uncle could not risk for anyone to take my virginity or to, you know, even capture and mark me as theirs.” Castiel had blushed a deep red by now. “There are no such strict rules in my pack as there are here. And you know as well as me, as soon as an alpha claims an omega, there is no way back.

“A couple of months ago, my other uncle, Lucifer, dissolved the long-standing engagement between me and his son. But Michael soon found me another mate – from a pack that would help him defeat his brother in battle.”

Dean looked at him with a mixture of distrust, sympathy and hurt.

“That alpha was Zachariah from the Adler clan. He is old and brutal and vicious.” This time, it was Castiel who could not sit down anymore, so he started to pace the small carpet. Dean, on the other hand, remained surprisingly silent. “And he had already shown with a couple of mates how neglectful he is. They are all dead now.” Another grumble from Dean that made Castiel feel more comforted than threatened. “In Heavensgate, an omega has no rights and is expected to follow their alpha’s orders – but still, Michael would have never seen me hurt or sick. I was well-educated and allowed to an infinite number of books. And I had been lucky that Michael chose to ignore me most of my life. As long as I did not attract any attention or interacted with strangers, I had some liberties in my own small world. But I could not hope for the same treatment from Zachariah. Right after he had captured me in a claiming fight, it had been made obvious to me that I was expected to submit to my mate in every matter, and the only thing that I needed to do was stay in the bedroom and pump out as many pups as possible. At first, I had hoped that Michael would interfere, defend me somehow, but he must have been so desperate for Zachariah’s support, he even encouraged his ideas. Or maybe he just genuinely didn’t care, I am not sure. The last weeks I spent in Heavensgate have been more daunting than ever before. Suddenly, my uncle wanted to make sure I knew how an omega should behave.” Castiel took another deep breath. He hardly dared to look at Dean who simply stared straight ahead, no sign he was even hearing Castiel. “And even though it was my duty as an Angyal omega to mate whomever Michael picked, I simply could not do it. Not to sound melodramatic, but I thought I would rather die than get claimed by that alpha.” Castiel shuddered, and Dean twitched like he was about to move towards him but stayed still in the end.

“Luckily, my sister, an alpha and the only one I ever trusted, and my best friend Balthazar agreed with me. The three of us planned my escape. And six weeks ago, we left Heavensgate, in wolf form and with nothing but what we could carry. But we were surprised by the early snow, and we lost our way. In Roman land, we found shelter in a cave and hoped no one would find us in the storm, but then… we got attacked by a few alphas.”

Castiel faltered again, and this time he could feel hot tears running down his cheek. He had not noticed the alpha move, but suddenly, Dean was in front of him and Castiel could feel a rough hand on his wet cheek.

“And then you ran away, Edgar and his friend chasing you to Winchester. And since you were intruders, their intention was anything but pleasant.” Castiel nodded. “What happened to your sister and this friend of yours, Cas?”

“I… I don’t know,” Castiel sniffed and started to cry in earnest. As soon as he felt Dean’s arms around him, he let himself sink completely into the alpha’s embrace, face pressed to Dean’s neck, drinking in the calming alpha scent. “The last that I saw of them, they were both bleeding, fighting against two large alphas. I think… I think Balthazar was unconscious.”

Castiel let out another loud and hardly graceful sob as he practically clawed his hands into the alpha’s shoulders. Dean did not seem disturbed by this behaviour and gently led Castiel towards the bed again, where he cradled the omega into his lap.

“Why did you not tell me about this, Cas?” Dean asked as he stroked over Castiel’s back.

“I… I was so scared when you found me. You are a Winchester! I was taught to fear you, and I was sure you would just kill me or something if you found out I was Michael’s nephew. I feared you even might hunt down my friends as well. You are our enemy.”

Castiel could feel Dean’s posture become more fraught and he leaned back to look in the alpha’s face. Dean had a hard line around his mouth and his jaw twitched. He had also withdrawn his arms from around Castiel and looked like he was lost in thought. The omega started to fear that the offered comfort had been merely an instinctive reaction, before Dean had been able to fully comprehend Castiel’s story.

After a long pause, Dean spoke again. “All right, I can see why you did not tell me in the beginning. I certainly would not have. But after that? Cas, you spent over a month with us. You basically just said that, despite our misunderstandings, you wanted me to share your bed last night – but you did not trust me enough to tell me the truth about you?” There was a hostile tone in Dean’s voice, and Castiel suddenly noticed he was still sitting in the alpha’s lap. He quickly got up, missing his proximity already, and sat down again, with a noticeable distance between himself and the other man. Dean instantly leaned forwards, like he was relieved to have room to move again, and let out a long breath. “You also said you would have let me court you if you had noticed what was going on, that you were still willing to. But how can you say that – when you obviously still fear me?”

Castiel only sat there for a moment, trying to choose his next words carefully.

“Yes, at first, I did not tell you because I was afraid you would punish me, and my friends. And when I arrived here I could see how hated my family still is in this pack. But after a while… Dean, I have just been lying for too long already, and I did not want you to distrust me all of a sudden.”

Dean stood, throwing his hands in the air. “Well, that turned out great, didn’t it?”

Castiel flinched. He had known that Dean would be mad when he found out the truth, but the cynical attitude was still hard to watch.

“I feared you would not be able to see past the name, and after I had started to… hold some feelings for you, I could not bring myself to confess the truth. And now you are angry, just like I knew you would be. Because you invited an Angyal into your pack.”

“Gods, I am not angry because you are Michael’s nephew! I am pissed that you did not tell me the truth! This whole pack accepted you without many questions – hell, most of us were tiptoeing around you to not upset you by even mentioning your past. Gods, I feel like such an idiot.” Dean let out a humourless laugh. Then he turned around and looked at Castiel with a stony expression. “What if Michael sends someone after you, and I have an army at my border? Did you ever think about that? I have a whole pack to look after, Castiel!”

For moments, the omega was at a loss for words. Truthfully, he had not even considered this possibility until Meg had mentioned it earlier. There was no way, Michael would look for him here of all places. Or was there?

“I apologise, Dean. Again. I did not think that Michael would follow me here. I should have considered it. As I should have told you the truth. I just… I was still scared you might kick me out. And I was scared I would lose your… affection.”

Dean looked down at Castiel with an unreadable expression. His jaw twitched again. It was a scary sight.

“I see now that I put your pack in danger. I will leave as soon as you’ll allow me to, so you won’t have to worry about this possibility anymore.”

“You’ll leave? On your own? In the middle of December?” Dean scoffed. “Sure, why don’t I just kill you myself.” Dean sighed. “Look, Cas, _if_ what you say is true, you can still find refuge with us. I mean, we even accepted Crowley – and most of the time, I just want to punch him.”

“I promise you, Dean, everything I told you today is the truth. I was just trying to escape, and it was mere coincidence that I ended up in your territory.” He took a deep breath. “I am sorry I lied to you for so long. I wanted to tell you the truth, believe me. I just… I did not know how.”

Dean was still towering over him, still looking grim, and in this moment, Castiel did the thing that seemed most natural to him in this situation. He bared his neck to Dean. The alpha froze for a second and breathed in deeply – Castiel was glad there was no hint of fear in the air. He was nervous, yes, but not scared. Not after Dean had declared he would not simply kick him out. Then, with a low rumble, Dean sat down next to Castiel; he did not scent at his neck, however, only let one arm curl around Castiel’s shoulder and pulled the omega lightly towards him. The smaller man leaned even closer towards him until Dean’s chin rested on his head. They stayed in this odd embrace for a couple of minutes.

“This is such a mess,” Dean finally breathed out.

“I know. I am sorry. Just… how very mad are you?”

Dean chuckled; a good sign. “I don’t know yet. Give me a few more hours.” Castiel nodded and cuddled closer into the alpha. If he could spend those few hours like this, he was all right with that. And he imagined Dean could not be too irritated with the calming scent he gave off.

“Oh, don’t think I will forgive you so easily. But just the thought of kicking you out…” The alpha gripped Castiel a little tighter before changing the subject. “I assume we should start looking for your sister.” Castiel’s heartbeat picked up. “Anna, yes? We can send messengers to all bordering packs, even try to talk to the Romans and the Hellhounds.”

“You will do this for me?”

“Of course, Cas. I would not wish for any halfway decent person to run into Azazel’s old pack. I just wish you would have told me sooner. By now, they could be anywhere.” He frowned. “Where were you headed anyway?”

“To Gabriel’s pack.”

Dean’s hand, that had started to stroke over Castiel’s back again, stilled its movements. “Of course; Gabriel. You have a place to turn to.” He cleared his throat. “I guess I can give you a cohort to leave for your uncle as soon as you are ready.”

When Castiel tried to read the expression on Dean’s face, the alpha did not meet his eyes. With a heavy breath, he decided to take a leap of faith.

“Well, I would appreciate if you sent someone to my uncle to ask about Anna and Balthazar and to let him know I am well. Even though he had no idea of our plans and might not yet have heard of our flight. But, if it is all the same to you, I would very much prefer to stay here.”

“Yeah?”

“Absolutely.”

“That because of the great food?”

“More like because of the great hunters.”

Dean chuckled and pecked Castiel on the tip of his nose. With that simple gesture, the tension left both men’s bodies. They might need to reconsider some choices, but it felt like they would be all right, eventually. Castiel shifted so that he was now straddling Dean, face-to-face. The omega slowly tipped his head to the side and this time, Dean leaned in without hesitation. The alpha breathed in deeply and Castiel could feel lips and a hot tongue wander over his throat. When Dean nipped lightly at a sensitive spot, Castiel let out a low moan. He tangled his hands into Dean’s short hair and pulled his head back slightly, so he could kiss the alpha. He simply pressed his lips on the other man’s, without finesse, until Dean started to move slowly, and licked and nipped at Castiel’s mouth. The omega soon mimicked Dean’s actions until their tongues chased each other.

Castiel did not know whether the stress of the day had something to do with it, but he suddenly felt very heated and he was not surprised to smell the growing scent of slick in the air. He involuntarily rubbed his whole body against Dean’s, and was taken by surprise when the alpha suddenly withdrew. Dean even pulled Castiel gently off him so both men were sitting next to each other again.

Castiel was confused for a moment, until he realised this behaviour might not be welcome any more, and blushed deeply. “I am sorry, this was quite forward of me. Of course, you are not interested in me that way anymore. I am sorry for assuming...”

“For goodness sake, Cas! This is not about me, it is about you.”

Castiel frowned. “I assure you, I am quite willing to....” He tried to straddle Dean again, but the alpha was having none of it.

“No, you’re not. Just two hours ago, you thought I considered you my property! You have hardly had enough time to think this through. And I don’t want you to do this because of some twisted form of gratitude or whatever. Not to mention that you have been raised to wait until after bonding. It is the way of your pack.”

“No, it is not,” Castiel challenged. “This is my pack now. And I hear I can do whatever I want.”

Dean practically purred at Castiel’s words, but he still insisted: “Just for a while, Cas. We both had to take in a lot today. You need to come to terms with the fact that I don’t own you, and I need to think about how you have been lying to me for weeks.”

Now, this last statement worked just like a bucket of ice water. But before he could feel depressed, Dean had his arms around him again.

“This does not mean I have to go anywhere right now.” He pulled Castiel towards him again, and after a few minutes, both men half sat, half lied on the narrow bed.

“This is nice,” Castiel murmured. For the first time that day, he felt safe, and he had no intention of ever going anywhere else again.

“M-hm.”

“Maybe we can even do the same thing we did last night. You know, enjoy a quiet dinner...” Castiel suggested hopefully.

“Oh no, absolutely not,” Dean announced in a final tone. “We can hide here all afternoon if you want, but we definitely need to show up for dinner, both of us. After this morning, we need to show that we are all right and that nothing has changed. And I need to show my support towards Benny.”

Castiel’s heartbeat picked up again. Of course, Dean was not the only one who had been affected by his ignorance and his lies. He did not try to argue; it was his fault after all. He could understand Dean’s need to appease the pack, to demonstrate there was no hidden rivalry.

And his need to show he still trusted Castiel.

“What about… what about that other thing? About me being an Angyal omega.”

Dean sighed. “We need to be open about that as well. I should round up the Council members as soon as possible, and then we will slowly let the information sicker through.”

Castiel froze. “What if the Council does not accept me?”

“Well, I am the lead alpha. They have to listen to me in the end.”

The lines on Castiel’s forehead did not ease. He knew well enough that Dean would never act against the will of all his closest friends and family members. If they all thought Castiel posed a threat, in the end, Dean would probably give in and kick him out. Maybe he would send him to Gabriel’s. If he was lucky.

“Relax, Cas. I am certain they will understand. After all, I am supposed to be the unreasonable one. Ask anyone.”

Dean grinned, and it seemed genuine enough for Castiel to calm down.

Dean’s proximity might have helped as well.

 

>><< 

 

After the couple had spent nearly two hours entangled on the bed, and Castiel had opened up some more about his old pack, Dean reluctantly suggested they should meet the Council members and tell them about the current situation as well as Castiel’s heritage. Dean invited Castiel to accompany him, and the omega timidly proposed to postpone the meeting another day, when the Council would hold an official meeting anyway. But Dean reminded him that they wanted to send out messengers to look for Anna and Balth as soon as possible – and that thought made Castiel jump out of bed without another moment of hesitation.

Only twenty minutes later, the couple met with Dean’s closest advisors. They were seated at a large round table. Castiel was glad that he had Dean at his side when he hesitantly told about his family and the circumstances of his arrival in Winchester. He also mentioned that, in his culture, Dean had captured him when they first met and about the different views on pack hierarchy, especially when it came to omegas. He even apologised to Benny for his mistake this morning.

Castiel tried to keep his voice as calm and emotionless as possible – he had a feeling that the others would not react well if they thought he was deliberately trying to evoke pity. The Winchesters were kind, but not sentimental – they would like to focus on the facts.

When he was done, Castiel felt exhausted. He just wanted this day to end and curl up in bed, preferably with a certain alpha wrapped around him.

There was a long silence after Castiel had finished, and no one had interrupted him once. Now, some of the Council members seemed to instantly believe Castiel’s story, like Sam and Jess. Charlie, Jody and Ellen also appeared sympathetic towards the omega. Bobby, Kevin and Dorothy seemed more reluctant, like they had not yet formed an opinion. Benny’s expression was unreadable, and Crowley just sat there with raised eyebrows.

To no one’s surprise, the latter was the first one to speak.

“So now that you got busted, you just came up with the next colourful lie. And we are all expected to feel bad for the helpless little omega that had been treated so horribly?”

“Why not?” It was Jody, who looked at Crowley with challenge in her features. “I believe him.”

“I agree with Jody.” Jess piped in before the alpha could snap back. “Castiel’s story is coherent. There is no reason why we should distrust him.”

“No reason?” This time, it was Dorothy. “You mean other than that he had been lying to us for weeks now?”

“But he explained why he did not tell the truth before. And the Angyals _are_ despised. If his story is true, I can understand why he waited so long to tell us.” To Castiel’s surprise, it was Kevin who spoke up. The omega had never really talked to the young man before, so he had had no clue how he might react to this revelation.

“But even if he is telling the truth now, he might have, involuntarily, brought an old enemy to our gates.” Castiel felt hopeless again. It seemed like even Bobby was doubting him. He knew the alpha’s influence on Dean was almost as strong as Sam’s. The pack leader himself stayed surprisingly silent during this discussion, but he still held Castiel’s hand, so the omega did not feel too timid about it.

“I don’t know about that. I mean, why would they look here of all places? It is more likely they will assume he had frozen to death than that he found shelter with the Winchesters.” Benny said in a thoughtful tone. “And even if they assumed such a thing: If Michael is on the verge of war with his brother, he can hardly afford attacking us right now.”

Crowley was about to say something else, but he got interrupted by Ellen: “I agree. I don’t think the Angyal pack will expect Castiel to have come to us. And unlike others present,” one stern look at Crowley, “I was there when the Angyals fought the Winchesters. There is a deep rivalry between our packs. And even though I readily believe Michael or Lucifer would love to find a way to weaken us, I don’t think they would even consider Castiel as that way. If they truly have such abhorrent views on omegas, they will hardly trust one enough to bring us to our knees.”

“Yeah, and to be honest, he did not do a very clever job about it. I mean if that is what he wanted. Which he didn’t. Obviously.” It was Charlie, almost chuckling. Then the omega turned to Crowley, who still seemed to pose the biggest threat to Castiel. “Think about it, Crowley. He could have done a lot more damage by now. He could probably even be the pack alpha’s mate if he had played his cards right.”

“Well, maybe he is just not that smart. _Or_ extremely cunning. And he _did_ some damage,” the alpha insisted. “Today, he almost got one of our best fighters killed. And don’t tell me that would not have hiccupped the pack order.”

Benny frowned at Crowley. “Now that is just a wee bit exaggerated. I don’t even have a scratch on me. And Castiel did clear up everything as soon as he noticed his mistake.” Castiel was immensely relieved that the alpha did not seem to hold a grudge against him.

Bobby, on the other hand, still seemed to be contemplating. “Yes, he did. But as I said, it was a little bit late. I even understand why he did not open up from the beginning, but he has been with us for some time. He even signalled our alpha that he would consider him as a mate…”

“But he did not know that, Bobby!” It was Sam. “I admit, this is all very unfortunate, but there have been mistakes on both sides. Let’s, just for a second, imagine everything Castiel said is true. He escaped from a pack that did not treat omegas well,” there was suddenly a low growl all around; it seemed all alphas at the table were unhappy with that concept, “and then was seemingly _captured_ , as he calls it, by an enemy, while his friends were heavily wounded, at best.”

“Yeah, if those _friends_ even exist,” Crowley sneered.

“Like an omega could have made that journey on his own!” Dean scoffed. Those were the first words the head alpha had said during the conversation.

“I am sure your mother would have loved to hear you say that.” It was Charlie, who had raised her chin defiantly. Jess also scowled at him.

“That is not what I meant. I merely wanted to say, that it would not have been easy for _anyone_ to cross the lands during winter on their own. I am even surprised a group of three, who as I have learned are not used to their wolf forms, have managed to come this far.”

There was a short pause, then Jody raised to speak.

“We all have heard Castiel’s story. Let’s see whether we are all on the same page. We’ll do this as simple as possible. Raise a hand if you believe Castiel’s story.”

Dean’s hand went up fastest, and Castiel was surprised to see all the other’s follow, some quickly, others hesitant – except for Crowley, who just defiantly folded his arms.

“That’s good enough, I guess. Next. Raise your hand if you are still in favour of Castiel staying in the pack, treated as a full member.”

This time everyone’s hand went up. And Castiel was not the only one to stare at Crowley in disbelief.

“Oh, come on, you know what they say. Your friends close, your enemies…”

“No.” It was only one word, but there was so much force behind it that it shut Crowley up immediately. Dean was fixating the other alpha, and after a very short staring contest, Crowley lowered his gaze. “The Council has just unanimously decided for Castiel to be considered a full pack member. There will be no hostility and no suspicion in my pack. Castiel will be treated as an equal. There will be no hidden agendas.”

Dean had only stared at Crowley during his announcement, but now he let his gaze wander over every council member until everyone gave a tiny nod.

“And this has nothing to do with my relationship with him, either. Whether or not we will decide to mate one day, Castiel will still be allowed to call this Castle his home.” This time, Dean’s gaze lingered on said omega, and Castiel felt himself blush bright red.

“Now, Benny, Jody, I would like you to assemble a group of messengers we can send out to start looking for Castiel’s sister. Tell them everything they need to know. If we are lucky, they managed to turn to the Campbell’s or further south to Amara, I am sure they will be happy to help. Maybe they even managed to reach Gabriel’s pack.”

Castiel let those words slide over him like a warm, reassuring blanket.

Slowly, the meeting dissolved, and as the first shifter raised from their seat, Castiel let out a long breath. He felt like he had not been able to inhale oxygen since he stepped into the Council Hall. He only halfway realised Sam and Charlie hugging him quickly, even Jody pulled him in a half embrace before she left with Benny, and when Bobby approached, the omega feared he would scold him some more. He remembered how, during his first days, he had bared to the alpha and how the older man had frowned at him afterwards. He did not dare to even imagine what he must have been thinking. But right now, Bobby merely held out a hand and announced he was glad Castiel told the truth at last. Jess even went so far as to call him brave for doing so, and thus, she earned a little smile from Castiel.

With the support of the whole - well, nearly - Council, Castiel felt like he could manage to participate in official dinners again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, that chapter was really tough to write.  
> But look – no evil cliffchangers! :-)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My chapters seem to get longer and longer. Don’t get used to it. ;)
> 
> They deserve a little bit of happiness, don’t you think? :-D

Chapter ELEVEN

 

Five days had passed since Castiel and Dean had had their little heart-to-heart. Castiel noticed how light-hearted he felt ever since. And every time Dean was around, that feeling just increased tenfold. He had been jubilant after he had fully processed that the alpha was courting him, but that did not even compare to the relief he felt about Dean accepting him despite his Angyal heritage. Only now did he realise how heavy the weight on his chest had been these last few weeks.

But even if he claimed his intentions had not changed, the alpha had been reluctant, almost cautious, at first – Castiel did not know how much of it had been because he was still guilt-ridden by Castiel’s assumption he was being owned, or because Dean was simply still angry with him for lying – but by now, Dean was just as attentive as he had been before. The difference was, now Castiel could fully enjoy it.

The news about Castiel being an Angyal had spread fast, but he had not yet been met with open hostility. Yes, some shifters looked at him with a calculating expression, and whispers always followed him wherever he went, but he had expected no less. He would even agree that the Winchesters had every right to be suspicious. No matter how happy he felt in his new home, he still feared the possibility that Michael might be chasing after him. But without the support of Lucifer, Castiel hoped he would not dare to come here – even if he knew where Castiel had hidden. And Zachariah – no matter how much he wanted an omega mate, he would not hunt him down this far, would he? Castiel did not know the Adler alpha well enough to answer that question with absolute certainty. And with that in mind, he sometimes felt like he deserved the distrust of Crowley or some other shifters like the guard Ishim or Frank Devereux. In case of the latter – it helped that Dean once explained Frank sometimes even questioned _his_ motives, despite being the pack alpha.

Oher shifters seemed less wary, but rather intrigued after Castiel’s confession. Just this morning, a whole group of children he knew from class had surrounded him, asking tons of questions, and only left once he promised he would soon visit them in school again. Even though they had been playing _Winchester vs. Angyal_ countless of times, they did not seem scared of him. They just looked at him like he had suddenly grown a second head or like he was the most interesting new toy.

“So, do you have chocolate?” One child asked, throwing Castiel off guard.

“Huh?”

“If you are not like the evil Angyals, then you are like Gabriel’s pack, yes? And they have chocolate. Twice a year, they come here and sell it at one of our grand feasts. It tastes delicious!”

All other children agreed, and Castiel looked dumbfounded. He had not known that Gabriel traded with the Winchesters. When he hesitantly mentioned it at dinner that night, Ellen explained that they had reluctantly started to exchange some goods with their northern neighbour in the last couple of years. The Winchesters mostly sold furs and coats as well as iron-forged goods while Gabriel’s pack mostly exported silk and other expensive fabrics. And, of course, chocolate.

This was one thing he had learned by now – whenever he did not understand something or simply had a question about anything that would peek his interest – he simply asked. And so far, any pack member had answered his questions patiently. So, even though there was some occasional whispering behind his back, Castiel did not mind too much; probably because everyone he had started to consider a friend supported him. Even Alfie. The omega had taken longer to forgive him than Dean or Meg had. Just as the other two, he did not seem to be appalled by the fact that Castiel was an Angyal, but he was miffed that he had not trusted him enough to tell him the truth. Though, after Castiel had told Alfie at full length about life as an omega in Michael’s pack, the young man had seemed overwhelmed with pity and apologised profoundly for brushing him off for two days. The thought that an omega had no say as to who would be their mate seemed to horrify him so much that Castiel feared he might have caused some nightmares.

Castiel was glad he had mended things with his friend, even though he had not spent his last days with Alfie in the sick rooms, but with either Jody or, while the beta was needed in class, occasionally with Jo.

Just after they had met with the Council five days ago, Castiel had asked Dean what Charlie had meant when she indicated that the former pack omega had been well able to stand her own. The alpha had then told him amazing stories about his strong mother. Castiel’s eyes widened when Dean mentioned what a good hunter she had been and how she could overpower even an alpha with her quick wits. Castiel must have seemed so captivated by this idea that Dean offered to let him get some fighting classes as well.

“You know, I had been thinking about this already. Everyone here knows at least some basics in self-defence. And I would feel better after you had some training as well.”

So now, Castiel made his way to the treeline behind the courtyard for the fifth day in a row. Just as he was about to step onto the training grounds, he ran into Benny. Castiel was glad that his relationship with the alpha had turned friendlier; it certainly helped that he was not afraid for any unmated alpha to claim him anymore. He greeted Benny with an honest smile, but kept his gaze to the ground. It had nothing to do with a show of submission, but – the alpha was wearing no shirt. And as much as Castiel was warming up to the Winchester ways, he was still not used to be confronted with a naked chest, especially not so close in front of him.

Benny must have noticed his embarrassment – also, rumours about Castiel’s prudish nature had quickly made the rounds. Everyone seemed to be highly amused by it. “Hey, Castiel.” The alpha greeted and then announced, with a frown: “I apologise. I had just been out to check in with the guards, and when I came back and shifted, some of my clothes seemed to have gone missing.” He shrugged like this was nothing special. “It happens.”

Castiel just nodded with what he hoped was an understanding expression, and moved on to meet Jody.

He loved his training lessons, well most parts of it. At first, he had been reluctant, thinking that as an omega he would never have a real chance in a fight against anyone, but the beta had convinced him that strength was not the only factor.

Jody never made any empty promises, though, never told him he could be a fierce warrior with enough training – she had frankly admitted he was probably too old to start with that career path. And Castiel appreciated her honesty. Especially since she also taught him that he still had a shot in a fight if he concentrated on his strong points. She explained that one well-placed blow or bite to the jugular might be all he needed to defeat his opponent. He also learned that his small size in wolf form could be an advantage – it meant he was quicker and more agile than most alphas, harder to catch.

There was only one thing he hated about his lessons: Naturally, they were held in wolf form. And learning to shift properly became an important part of his schedule.

The first time Castiel had changed form, shyly hidden behind a tree, Jody had been shocked at his apparent struggle. When Castiel explained to her that he always had a hard – and painful – time, and how omegas had not been supposed to ever let their wolves out in Michael’s pack, she was even more appalled.

And for the first time in his life, Castiel had learned that he did not take so long or feel so much pain because he was an omega, but because he had never been taught to do so frequently.

“This is all about practise, Castiel. What do you think why we have our children change form multiple times a day? And yes, alphas mostly change quicker and easier than the rest of us, and they never stop bragging about it, but it still should not take longer than a few seconds.” She had sighed deeply. “So, at first, we will have you shift at least five times a day.”

Castiel had panicked. He loved running around in wolf form, but he absolutely hated the process of shifting. Once a week, yes, that was worth the fun. But multiple times a day? When he had told Dean about his new training plan, the alpha noticed Castiel’s reluctance and the omega could sense Dean’s ambivalent feelings. He did not like to see his potential mate in pain, but the Winchesters lived in surprising balance with their wolves and Dean thought shifting was fundamental. In the end, the alpha had encouraged him to go through the process, even though it did not come easy to him. On the upside, he had started to go out for a run with Castiel for an hour every day. And that was quite a reward.

It had been five days now, and Castiel could shift quicker than before, but it was still just as painful.

When he approached for his next lesson, Castiel could see Jody waving at the side of a treeline, and he felt the already familiar amounts of excitement and dread battling in his stomach. Next to Jody waited another woman, one Castiel had never met before. He sniffed slightly, and when he came to a halt in front of the women he recognized her as an omega.

“Hey, Cas, this is Donna. I invited her to join us today, so you may see for yourself how very capable an omega can be.”

Just yesterday, Castiel had asked Charlie to join them – he had been eager to see an omega in action. But his friend had vehemently denied his request, admitting that fighting was not her strong point and that she had more or less suffered through her own lessons. Looking at the cheerful face in front of him, he could hardly believe that Donna was any better equipped for battle than Charlie.

“Heya, Cas!” The omega cheered and embraced Castiel in a loose hug.

Both women changed quickly, and Castiel was impressed that Donna did not take longer than Jody. The black and white sprinkled wolf turned her back to Castiel and the strawberry-coloured Donna hesitantly followed suit. Only then did Castiel start to undress and shift to his wolf form. He yelped in pain, which Jody took as her queue to turn around again and nuzzle him gently. After another second of acclimating, Castiel stretched and wagged his tail to indicate he was ready. Another thing he had learned the last couple of days: Wolves never talked much, not unless they could as well communicate via body language.

At first, Castiel only watched as Donna and Jody sparred with each other. He was astonished by the omega’s skill. The two females were at it for about half an hour with no clear winner – Jody seemed to rely on her strength and her obvious experience and patience. But Donna was quick – a lot quicker than Castiel would have given her credit for – and she had quite a few tricks up her sleeve. In the end, both women were entangled with each other, rolling on the ground in one colourful ball of fur, until they came to a halt in front of Castiel, chuckling happily. Only now did Castiel realise that at some point, they had turned from training to tickling each other.

He had just let out a huff of laughter when both women looked up at him. They exchanged a quick glance, and then, before Castiel was able to prepare himself, they jumped at him to give him the same treatment.

Soon, all three of them were howling with laughter, tickling as well as combing through each other’s fur, grooming and chewing playfully at ears or paws. Another thing Castiel had learned about wolves – they were not hung up on personal space.

_Some interesting technique you are teaching here, Jody._

Suddenly, the three wolves stopped all movement, and they looked up at a heavily smirking pack alpha, limbs still entangled.

Dean cocked his head to the side. Once again, Castiel thought his wolf was magnificent, nearly twice the size as him, radiating strength and grace.

_Is this some idea of endearing your opponent to death?_

Jody let her tongue loll out of her mouth and licked over Castiel’s head sloppily.

_Is it working?_

Dean grinned widely and winked at Castiel.

_Oh, it’s definitely working on me. Mind if I join?_

Before anyone could answer, Dean crouched like he was preparing to attack and even bared his teeth in a seemingly threatening manner. Just the rapidly wagging tail betrayed his intentions. In an instant, Dean was amidst the bundle of wolves, licking and nosing at any spot he could find. But mostly, those spots belonged to Castiel.

Castiel’s stomach was already hurting from laughter when he heard some excited yelps and yips over his own chuckling, and then the four grown-ups were joined by a group of cheerful pups. It must already be around noon, and the children had free time to play outside, or maybe they just had their own lesson of shifting. In any case, they definitely wanted to join in on the fun. Soon, Castiel found himself chasing after Lucas until he tickled the shy alpha to the ground. He could see Dean, prancing around in front of a group of pups, who had their heads bowed down, paws stretched forwards, ready to attack at Ben’s command. A minute later, Dean had three pups trapped under his weight, licking at their heads and chewing on Ben’s ear playfully, looking like he had no plans to let go of them in the near future. Until some of the older students had mercy with them and Claire as well as Alex jumped on the pack alpha. With their joined forces, the kids soon overpowered the grown-up – or maybe he was just enjoying all the noses tickling over his exposed stomach. Anyway, he roared with laughter.

Castiel had stopped his own attack on the children and was content to observe Dean interacting with the pups for a while. A warm feeling in his stomach was spreading through his whole body – something he had become quite used to whenever he was near Dean.

As the group slowly dissolved, Castiel hesitantly stepped towards the alpha, but was stopped in his tracks when Claire suddenly snapped at him. There was nothing playful in the gesture. Castiel was shocked and looked around to see if anyone else had noticed, but no one seemed interested in them, other than Alex who gave Castiel an apologetic look.

Claire left, but not without another low growl in Castiel’s direction. Castiel stared at her retreating form with wide eyes.

But when Donna tackled him to the ground again, he was able to end their little _training session_ on a high note after all.

 

>><< 

 

It had been nearly a week since Castiel had told Dean about his past. And, to Castiel at least, it almost seemed like they had been thrown back a couple of weeks again. Just like in the beginning, Dean always accompanied him back to his room after dinner. And he always wished him a pleasant night before he left him at the door. Not even Castiel’s constant, and now very deliberate, neck-baring could coax the alpha to do more than let his hands rub over the omega’s neck to leave a trace of his scent.

But on the sixth night, Castiel had had enough of it.

As soon as they left the Hall, he stopped Dean in his steps and announced: “I would like to see your quarters, Dean.”

“My quarters?”

“Yes. You have been to my room multiple times, it is only fair that I see where you live as well.”

“What, like --- now?”

“Now is as good as ever. Unless you have any other engagements.”

“Other eng…? Of course not. I just mean we could go tomorrow. Maybe have a quick lunch.” Dean drew a deep breath like he was about to make some extensive plans for the next day. However, Castiel did not give him the chance.

“No.”

“No?”

“I want to go now.”

Castiel was proud at how firm his voice sounded. He raised his chin and tried to stare Dean down. He did not know who won, exactly, since Dean let out a soft chuckle, but said nonetheless: “All right, _now_ it is.”

He offered Castiel his arm in a genteel manner like the alphas in his old pack might have done, and the omega felt giddy as he followed Dean’s lead. To his surprise, Dean’s rooms lay only one level above the dining hall – he had expected the pack alpha to live in one of the towers or at least a place high enough for a great view. Dean wordlessly opened a door and gestured for Castiel to enter.

The door was being closed behind him with a soft sound as Castiel examined the room. It was far bigger than his own guest room, of course, but he was sure Michael would still have called it a shabby accommodation for a pack head. But fortunately, Castiel was not like his uncle. To him, Dean’s place seemed warm and cosy. It was furnished in dark wood; the sheets and drapery were held in dark green and red as well as a brownish gold. It looked earthy, grounded and safe. It suited Dean. The multiple lit candles added a warm light that made the whole place look inviting.

There was a big table with eight chairs, a bureau as well as comfortable looking benches with lots of furs thrown over it, vis-à-vis of an open fireplace. The narrow windows left view to the courtyard and the castle gates. An open door led to the bedroom; without hesitation, Castiel started into that direction and Dean did not stop him. Neither did the alpha follow him, though. At least not until he could see Castiel pulling off his shoes and sitting down on the bed.

“Castiel, what are you doing?”

“Making myself comfortable of course. You have a nice place, Dean.”

Dean finally followed him and stopped at the foot of his bed, looking down at Castiel, who just smiled up at him from where he was leaning against the headboard, half sitting half lying down by now.

“Your bed seems very comfortable. And it is far too big for just one person.”

Dean raised an eyebrow until he could not hold back his smile any more.

“That so? Now, I guess I need to find someone who will graciously offer joining me in this huge, lonely bed.”

He slowly lowered down on the bed and crawled on top of Castiel. The omega automatically tipped his head to the side, and Dean nipped firmly at his throat, making Castiel squeak at the surprising action. He felt breathless in an instant, and it grew harder to uphold his nonchalant role.

“I could… I mean, I could maybe be persuaded to stay here. You know, if there would be something in it for me.” Since Dean had continued to lick at Castiel’s throat, he ended his statement with an embarrassing whimper.

“Mm-hmmm.” Dean murmured as he continued to lick a trail towards Castiel’s left ear. “So, you are saying you will stay here…” the alpha’s voice had dropped an octave, and with him whispering so close to Castiel’s ear the omega let out another moan. “… as long as I am capable…” Castiel twitched when Dean sucked lightly on his earlobe. “…to keep you…” now there were even teeth “…satisfied?”

By the time Dean finally finished his sentence, Castiel had already melted into the soft blankets, and the mixing scents of his and Dean’s starting arousal made him feel lightheaded.

That is, until Dean pulled back completely and sat back on his heels, not touching Castiel any longer.

“Sorry, I don’t think I can do that.” There was a cocky smirk on his face that Castiel would have loved to wipe off.

“Dean,” he whined instead.

And really, he had no idea what finally did the trick. He just saw Dean, looking down on him, suddenly his eyes turned nearly black and the alpha was leaning down, pushing his lips on Castiel’s. He did not lose any time before his tongue invaded Castiel’s mouth and the omega was happy to let the alpha explore him.

He had no idea how many seconds, minutes or hours had passed until Dean pulled back again and without pause started to kiss down Castiel’s throat. When he reached Castiel’s collarbone, he slowly opened his shirt, one button at a time, until his lips and hands had reached Castiel’s stomach. He had spent great attention to Castiel’s nipples as well as his belly button and was currently sucking on his right hip bone. By that time, Castiel’s shirt had landed somewhere on the ground, and he noticed his trousers had become sticky with the amount of slick that had been running out of his cleft already. Dean must have noticed this as well, if the low rumbling sounds coming off his chest were any indication. As soon as the alpha moved upwards Castiel’s body again, the omega started to tug at his shirt, impatient to get a good look himself.

Dean accommodated with a cocky grin. He sat back on his heels again and pulled his shirt over his head to give view to a marvellous chest and strong arms.

“Like what you see?”

Instead of an answer, Castiel grabbed the alpha’s shoulders and switched their position. Now, Dean was lying on his back with Castiel straddling him.

“Very much,” Castiel answered finally at the same time as he leaned down to lick over Dean’s nipple. He let the same treatment to Dean’s chest that he had just received, mimicking Dean’s actions as he had no other experiences to go by. With every light gasp that left Dean’s mouth, he grew bolder in his movements, until he scratched his nails slightly over Dean’s side, and the moan that followed had another gush of slick run out of Castiel.

At this point, Dean became impatient and flipped them over again. Lying on top of Castiel once more, Dean slowly rolled his hips down, causing a pleasant friction on both men’s hard cocks. The alpha continued the action until Castiel was almost dizzy with the pleasant feeling.

He felt Dean’s hands hook into his trousers, and after a tiny nod from Castiel, Dean pulled the rest of Castiel’s clothes off and threw them to the floor. Then the alpha sat back down and looked, just looked, for a moment.

Castiel felt self-conscious and wriggled his hips in discomfort as he murmured “Dean…”, not sure what else he wanted to say.

The alpha reacted nonetheless and covered Castiel’s body again, kissing him on the lips, the eyebrows and the tip of his nose.

“You are beautiful, Cas. Can’t blame me for looking.”

Castiel blushed, and Dean successfully side-tracked him from his uneasiness as he claimed his mouth again. When Dean’s hands had snuck towards Castiel’s bottom and started to massage his cheeks, Castiel lost himself in the other man’s touch. He felt one finger slowly tracing his rim and tried to press into the touch, showing Dean without words he was ready for the next step. The alpha slowly pushed one finger into Castiel’s hole, teasing in and out until the omega was accustomed to the touch and even more slick leaked out of him.

After a while, Castiel simply moaned “More, Dean” and was pleased when he felt a second finger, soon followed by a third, pushing in and out of his hole. Dean had found a consistent rhythm and every third time, he rubbed lightly over a spot that had Castiel twitch in pleasure.

Castiel had closed his eyes and merely enjoyed Dean’s attention when he felt a shift on the bed. He looked up to see Dean move down Castiel’s body again, not stopping his hands’ movements. But when he felt Dean’s lips on his erect cock, Castiel nearly jumped off the bed.

“Dean!”

The alpha just licked a trail from his base to his head, and then murmured. “Feels good?”

“Yes. Dean… so good.” Castiel did not know what to do, he tried to raise his hips towards Dean’s mouth as much as he wanted to writhe down onto the fingers in his ass. His hands had found their way into Dean’s scrubby hair of their own. Castiel’s breathing became more irregular by the second, until Dean’s fingers constantly rubbed over that bundle of nerves inside of him and his mouth skilfully sucked at Castiel’s cock.

With one last moan of “Dean!” Castiel came and fell back, completely limp on the alpha’s bed. His vision had blurred, and he was unable to move for a minute – or thirty, he really didn’t know. When he was able to focus again, the alpha lay next to him, slowly stroking over his chest, tracing invisible patterns, head deeply buried into Castiel’s neck.

“You smell glorious, sweetheart, now more than ever. I could get off on your scent alone.”

There was something hard pressing against Castiel’s hips that reminded him that the alpha had not actually done so.

“Dean, you haven’t… I mean…” He ungainly motioned to the direction of Dean’s crotch.

“Well, maybe next round.” The alpha shrugged, seemingly unperturbed by his current situation. “So… you feeling satisfied enough to spend some more time in this too big bed with me?”

It took a moment for Castiel to comprehend, but then he chuckled. “Definitely. I feel very much satisfied. In fact, I did not think I could ever feel like that.”

“But that is the whole reason to do this, isn’t it?”

“Not in my old pack. The only purpose of an omega is to bear children. I don’t think any of those alphas would have ever showed any interest in making the omega feel _like that_ , without looking out for their own pleasure.”

“Well, then they are stupid. Just watching you come undone, that has been very satisfying.” Dean claimed Castiel’s lips again; then he stared at the omega’s face with wonder in his eyes. “But… has really no one ever seen you like this?”

“Of course not!” Castiel started to blush again. “Where I am from, an alpha would have never bonded with an omega who had been with someone before. They might still claim them, but that means they were nothing more than property. At least, for the alpha, the children of a claimed omega would still be legitimate, mating bond or no.” He paused, thinking. “It’s also… I have always been told that alphas are possessive of their mates. Would you not prefer a mate who had never been with anyone before?” Castiel was not trying to goad; he was merely curious.

“Why should I? I hope I don’t disappoint you here, but I am not exactly a virgin, either. And though I really absolutely don’t mind that _you_ are – it is all the same to me, honestly. I cannot take liberties and expect my mate to behave differently. As long as they did everything on their own free will and enjoyed it, it is not my place to complain.

“As for being possessive…” He slowly rolled on top of Castiel, nibbling at his jawline, rubbing their chests together in an attempt to leave his scent on the omega. “You just saw a glimpse of that a few days ago. Once we mate, I will definitely expect you to be faithful to me, as I will be to you. To be honest, I already do. Thus, my little clash with Benny last week. But that is nothing compared to once you allow my wolf to claim you;” he nipped at Castiel’s collarbone, “then you are all mine.”

Dean raised his head to look down at Castiel, and the omega could see the gold of Dean’s wolf flash in the alpha’s eyes. He shivered involuntarily in a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Dean rolled down from him again, pulling the omega with him so both men were lying on their sides, faces mere inches apart.

“Does this mean you will expect me to act differently once we mate? Will you want me to stop spending time with Meg or Sam?”

Dean furrowed his brows. “Of course not. You can hang out with whomever you like. Just… don’t sleep with them.” His frown deepened. “Well, maybe I will be a bit more suspicious about certain alphas, but… as long as you don’t start offering your gorgeous neck to them...”

He smiled, and even Castiel had to chuckle.

“Yes, I think I got that now. This neck is reserved to you.”

Dean smiled again, and he looked so beautiful in his happiness that Castiel’s heart skipped a few beats. He slowly let his hands wander over Dean’s chest, rubbing a thumb over one of his nipples and enjoyed the hitch of breath Dean let out. He let his hands stroke even further down until he reached Dean’s still clothed crotch. He was even more delighted at the low moan Dean let out.

“You already up for round two?”

“Well, it seems unfair to have you wait so long.”

“I’ll live, Cas. I have waited for weeks now, a couple more days won’t kill me.”

“Days? No. I want to see you now.”

“See me? Now, Cas, you only had to ask.” Dean hopped off the bed and slowly reached for the buttons on his pants. The alpha made a whole show of pulling the piece of cloth off him, until he stood proud in front of Castiel. The omega took his time to drink the sight in. Dean looked stunning, from head to toe. Castiel let his gaze wander up and down the man’s body, blurring out the midsection until he was ready to look at the man’s cock. It was standing proud to the stomach, curls of dark hair at its base. Castiel swallowed. He knew Dean would be bigger than himself, being an alpha and all, but he had not expected him to be quite so--- well endowed. His eyes had been fixed on that certain body part for a while, and as soon as Castiel noticed he had been staring, he blushed to an even deeper shade than before.

He raised his eyes towards Dean’s face again – of course, the alpha was grinning widely.

Dean crawled back onto the bed, back on top of Castiel who opened his legs automatically. Castiel stroked over Dean’s back, from his shoulder blades down to his ass. Dean’s scent was flaring up again, and Castiel felt his body react to the alpha’s arousal. He tucked lightly at Dean’s shoulders until the alpha switched position so that Castiel was on top, able to reach every part of the alpha.

Castiel let his hands roam over Dean’s body, taking his time exploring, but always avoiding a certain area, until Dean actively encouraged him. He must have noticed Castiel’s reluctance for he took one of his hands and led it towards his erect cock. “It’s all right, you can touch me. Anywhere you like. I will tell you if I don’t like something.”

Castiel let his fingers close around the other man’s girth and was surprised how warm and soft the skin was, despite the hardness underneath. He let his hands wander up and down the way he liked it when he did this to himself. But it still felt different, doing this to someone else. And something was not quite right. When he realised what he missed, he reached behind himself and collected some of his slick in his hand. When he gripped Dean’s cock again, the alpha let out a loud moan.

“Gods, Cas, that is so hot.”

Dean gripped his ass and pushed two fingers inside the other man, teasing out a similar moan from Castiel. The omega pumped his hand up and down Dean’s length for a while, until he alpha stopped him with a warm touch. His breathing had sped up the last few minutes.

“How do you want this, Cas? I will be happy to come like this, or…”

“No. I want you in me.”

“All right.” Dean smiled, sat up with Castiel in his lap, and pecked him on the lips, retrieving his fingers at the same time. “Then turn around, handsome. It will be easier like this for your first time.”

Dean shifted to the side, giving Castiel room to move. The omega turned around and raised to all fours. He soon felt Dean’s hands all over him again, stroking over his back, his sides, his thighs – until two fingers were back inside of him, stroking in and out. Suddenly, Castiel grew surprisingly impatient.

“Stop this, Dean. I want you, not your fingers.”

Dean just chuckled, and Castiel could feel his weight shift. A moment later, he could feel the head of Dean’s cock at his rim and he tried to brace for the pain that would certainly come. He had seen how big Dean was, it was impossible for this not to hurt. And Hannah had warned him about this.

He could feel Dean’s hand roaming over his back again. “Relax, Cas. This is gonna hurt if you don’t. Just breathe deeply. I can stop any time. And I don’t have to knot you. Just tell me when it gets too much.”

Castiel took a deep breath and when he exhaled, Dean pushed slowly in. It felt weird, but not uncomfortable. He tried to relax further – when Dean suddenly rubbed over his sides that had him squeal out a laugh like it had in their tickling session. At the same moment, Dean pushed in completely.

And Castiel felt so full. It did not hurt, but he felt oddly out of breath.

“You all right, Cas?”

“Yes, just… give me a moment.”

“Sure, sweetheart, you’re getting all the moments you need.”

Castiel could feel Dean’s hand on the back of his neck and soft lips on his shoulder blades. He sunk down on his arms and relaxed more. After a while, he felt quite good in this position. He wriggled his hips a bit, until Dean slowly pulled back out a few inches, and filled him up again. The alpha rubbed a hand over Castiel’s behind and his thighs and the action had Castiel melt into Dean even more.

Dean slowly picked up his pace and corrected his angle until he hit that wonderful spot again, and Castiel shouted out a breathy “Dean!”

“Yes? You like that?” He pushed against the spot again, causing Castiel to moan instead of forming an answer. “Feels good?”

He pushed in again a few times, only aiming at Castiel’s sweet spot every other time.

“Yes, Dean, please. More.”

Dean’s rhythm grew more erratic, and Castiel tried to meet every one of his thrusts. It took a while until both men were in sync, but then both moaned out to their beat.

“You feel so good around me, Cas, you’re so hot. And I love those little sounds you make for me.”

Dean’s pumping grew more erratic and he gripped Castiel’s cock. The omega nearly shot out his release at the unexpected touch, but still tried to hold back. But Dean mercilessly stroked up and down, and Castiel realised the alpha’s hands were full of slick. With a skilful thrust against Castiel’s prostate and a flip of his wrist at the same time, Castiel could not hold back any more and shouted a meaningless word out, along with his release.

He let his body fall forwards until it was only his ass up in the air, and it took a second until he realised Dean had slowed his movements.

“Cas? You back, sweetheart?”

Castiel shook his head to sort his mind and slowly realised what Dean was waiting for.

“Dean. Alpha. Please, knot me.”

With that, Dean picked up his pace again and it did not take long for the alpha to spread his seed into Castiel. After a few more strokes, Castiel felt his knot form completely, and as much as he had been afraid this would hurt beforehand, he now felt only complete and pleasantly full.

Dean changed their position again, both men lying on their sides, the alpha spooning up behind Castiel. The latter let out a whimper at the feeling of Dean’s cock still pulsating inside of him.

“You are so beautiful, omega.” Dean whispered into his ear, and Castiel mewled again. This was bliss.

“You good, Cas?”

“I am very good, Dean. Remarkably good. I actually don’t think I have ever been this good.”

Dean let out a proud rumble that was nearly drowned by the alpha’s chuckle.

“I am glad to hear this. Just in case you are interested, I am remarkably good as well.”

Castiel scoffed, but there was a warm smile on his face.

“How long will we stay like this? I have heard very different things.”

“Well, maybe that is because it differs widely. With an omega in heat, inducing a rut within their mate, it obviously can even stay up to two hours. But like this, unmated as we are, it will be more like twenty minutes.”

“Then let’s hope no one will barge in in the next half hour. I have heard old tales about alphas who were killed while tied to their mates and helpless.”

At that, Dean let out a roar of laughter.

“You should check your sources, then. If someone would barge in right now, for whatever reason, the adrenaline will have my knot go down in an instant. So there is no danger of me getting assassinated.”

“Oh.” Castiel blushed, feeling stupid for believing these stories.

Dean might have picked up on his feelings as he nuzzled gently at the omega’s neck.

“Mmmh. You should always smell like that. Maybe we should never leave this room again.”

“Took you long enough to bring me here,” Castiel mumbled out.

“Hey, not fair. I was trying to accommodate to your customs. If I had my way, we would have landed in my bed on the first night, probably. I mean, you were pretty roughened up, so maybe after a week. This is an important part of courting after all.”

“It is?”

“Of course. As an alpha I should prove I am able to… please you. And I just did.” The smug tone made Castiel wonder whether he should laugh or pout. “I mean, I wanted to do this since you bared your neck to me in the Hall on our very first night here.”

“Hm.” Castiel was deep in thought. “I still think you started to court me pretty quickly.”

“And there I thought you would feel special because I acted so fast.” Dean closed his arm around Castiel and pulled him even more tightly towards him. When he spoke again, his tone had turned thoughtful. “And like I said, I thought you were my omega, so I did not want to give anyone the chance to get one up on me.”

“What do you mean, _your omega_?”

“The one that is meant to be my mate, obviously.” Castiel closed his eyes, letting Dean’s soothing voice wash over him. “For generations and generations, the Winchesters first born had always been an alpha, and that alpha had always taken the place as pack leader. They are supposed to be the strongest and the most adept for the position. And they always had an omega mate.” Dean stroked over Castiel’s chest, as they were still tied together. “As a child, I had often been afraid I would not fit the profile. That I would be an embarrassment, because it would turn out that I was not to be the next pack alpha. And I felt even more pressure, because Sammy was my only sibling and a beta. I don’t mean that betas should not be allowed to lead – but they never show any interest in doing so. My dad, he never seemed to doubt that I was the next leader – but at the time, I did not see his conviction as a good thing. My dad was a righteous man, but he could be pretty harsh, and rather than seeing his trust to raise me to be my best, I felt like a constant disappointment every time I failed at something.”

Dean shifted his hips a little and Castiel enjoyed feeling the knot that tied them together. With Dean’s confession, it was like they were not only sharing a physical bond but an emotional as well.

“My parents were so happy together. And that was just another thing I was scared of – that I was supposed to find the perfect omega to be my mate. I told my mum this, once when I had been a little boy. I was crying my eyes out after I had not been able to catch a doe that day. And she just looked at me and told me that she knew I would be a great leader as much as she knew I would find the perfect mate. And she just… she seemed so sure. Like only a parent can, I guess. And I believed her.

“That next day, my mother died. She had been out on a hunt, alone, like dozens of times before. We thought a pack of wild animals had gotten to her. It was only years later we found out it had been Azazel, trying to tear the Winchester pack apart. And he almost succeeded.”

There was a long pause. Castiel laid his hand on top of Dean’s over his stomach, showing him wordlessly he was listening and feeling with him.

_“I don’t for a second doubt, that you will be a wonderful pack alpha, Dean, and you will have the perfect omega at your side._ Those were the last words my mother ever said to me. I never told this to anyone, not even Sammy. But even after dad died, every time I felt like I failed, I tried to remember how my mom had looked at me at that moment. And I swear, I can still hear her.” He chuckled, but it sounded strained. “I think the pack grew more and more nervous when I was over 25 and still showed no interest in settling down. But no omega had ever felt right. Until I saw you.”

At that moment, Dean’s knot had completely come down, so Castiel slowly turned around, ignoring the stickiness, and looked into Dean’s eyes. He was not surprised to see a single tear rolling down the alpha’s face; Castiel’s cheeks were wet as well.

“I think it is a good thing my wolf saw you first. He understands those things faster than I do.” The alpha grinned impishly.

Castiel pulled Dean’s face towards his and tried to convey as much emotion with a kiss as one possibly could.

 

>><< 

 

The next day, Castiel awoke next to a happy rumbling alpha. Dean kissed him fiercely as soon as he had opened his eyes, and after asking about Castiel’s well-being, he left for his duties.

Castiel, however, took his time getting up. He marvelled in the sheets that smelled of him and Dean. When he finally left the bed, he was surprised to see two pots of warm water in the adjoined room. One Dean had obviously used already, the other one was for Castiel, he assumed. Especially since there were fresh clothes folded on a chair. Castiel’s clothes.

By Farkas, these servants were like well-trained spies.

But not even the thought of possible gossip in the kitchen could wipe the grin off Castiel’s face.

After last night, he felt closer to Dean than he had ever before. His smile just widened until he was sure his face would hurt tomorrow, and Castiel contemplated for a moment to just lie down again and wait for Dean to return.

But he had a date with Donna and Jody, so he determinedly washed himself, deliberately leaving out his neck so he would still smell like Dean.

After months of fear and uncertainty, Castiel finally looked into a sunny future. He had found a new home in a wonderful pack, and Dean still intended to take him as his mate. The alpha even promised that he would find Anna and Balthazar – if they were still to be found. But Castiel was so happy in this moment, that not even the thought of his sister could bring his mood down. He knew she was still alive, and he knew he would see her again.

Since even Bobby and Benny seemed to doubt that Michael would ever come looking for him in this pack, Castiel was even happier. And it would probably be not too long until he would be a claimed omega – and then there was nothing his uncle could do anymore anyway.

Castiel rushed down the corridor, feeling more like dancing than walking, when there was suddenly a firm hand on his arm and he was forcefully pulled to the side.

Before he could yell, however, there was a wet piece of cloth pressed on his mouth, and Castiel quickly lost consciousness.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, now I feel bad. A tiny little bit. ;-)


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter TWELVE

 

Castiel blinked a few times.

His vision was blurry. And it certainly did not help that, wherever he was, it was almost completely dark.

More noticeable than the lack of light, however, was the horrible stench surrounding him. He felt like an almost tangible cloud of thick reeking air was covering his whole body.

Since he could hardly see, and his sense of smell did not help him either, he tried to find out more about his whereabouts otherwise, but it was hard to concentrate on anything but the stench. The erratic heartbeats in his chest were so loud, Castiel could hardly hear the low, agitated whispers coming from his left side.

 “What do you suggest we should do now?”

“Yes, I know. I screwed up. But at least we found him. Right? The rest will sort itself out. It always does.”

Castiel heard the words but he was not able to comprehend them; it was hard to focus on anything specific. At the same time, he tried to hide the fact that he was awake. He was not yet sure what had happened to him, but it could hardly be anything good. And he could use every advantage he had.

His head hurt, but otherwise he seemed unharmed. He was lying on his back, the ground beneath him hard and cold, yet the room was oddly warm, the air vaporous. And it smelled like rotten food.

He tuned out the low voices next to him as he tried to figure out what had happened. He had trouble breathing as he struggled to remember how he got here. His head thumped even worse, but finally he recalled the moment he stepped out of Dean’s room when someone had grabbed and potentially drugged him. After that: Everything went dark.

So someone must have carried him here – wherever _here_ was.

Countless questions were battling for his attention:

Where had they taken him?

What did they want?

Had someone already noticed his absence?

He did not know how much time had passed, but at least he and his kidnappers were not moving right now, so they could not have gotten too far. Or so Castiel hoped. He was very likely still on Winchester lands, probably even in town. Judging by the stench, he thought they might have hidden him in the garbage pits. If so, it was a clever idea – no one would be able to detect his scent in here. But he seemed to be in some form of room; there was a solid wall right in front of his face.

Castiel clung to the hope that he was probably still near the Castle, if only to prevent himself from panicking.

But why had someone drugged him?

Maybe this was about ransom?

But it would be stupid to try and steal from the Winchesters. So maybe this had something to do with Castiel, personally. Maybe someone did not want him in the pack, saw him as a threat to pack balance. But in that case, they might have just killed him right away.

Or Michael had found him after all.

Since his own mind could not give him any answers, he tried to listen to the conversation next to him again, but he was still a bit dazed, and the whispers were very low. As far as he could make out, there seemed to be only two more people in the room, or maybe only two talked. And they both appeared to be nervous. Now, Castiel did not know whether it was a good sign or a bad sign for his kidnappers to be twitchy. It certainly made them less predictable.

“Doesn’t matter now. We can’t do anything until he wakes up.” A pause. “But seriously, how much did you use? He should be awake by now.”

_Until he wakes up_? He, Castiel? His heartbeat picked up again. Could it be that easy, and he just had to pretend to still be unconscious until Dean had enough time to find him?

There was an unintelligible mumble for an answer, then: “Look, Anna, I know this was not according to plan, but to be honest, it was not like we _had_ a plan. And at least we found Cassie. And who knows? He is not stupid. Maybe when he wakes up, he will tell us all about that perfect route to escape, all three of us. He must have been looking for a way out before.”

_Cassie_?

_Anna_?

Castiel took in a deep, silent breath to try and clear his mind – a mistake, since now he had inhaled an unsavoury portion of the thick cloying air. As a result, he broke out in a fit of coughs.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, slowly turning him around until he did not face the wall anymore.

“Castiel? Castiel, are you all right?”

Still coughing, Castiel sat up and blinked, trying to see as clearly as possible in the dimly lit room. His gaze locked on what he had feared he would never see again: The face of his sister. There was dirt all over it, and she had cut her hair, but it was doubtlessly her.

“Anna?”

Castiel was not sure whether he was dreaming, maybe he was still in bed and had only imagined the wonderful night with Dean as well as this unexpected reunion with his sister.

But he did not really care as Anna just smiled, a few tears running down her face. “Hey, Castiel.”

“Oh Farkas, Anna!” Castiel almost yelled, and he threw his arms around her, not caring about where he was or how he had gotten there anymore. She felt solid enough for him to hope this might not be a dream after all.

“Hush, Castiel, we need to be quiet.”

Castiel hardly understood Anna’s words, he was too happy to finally see his sister again – even the stench around him did not register anymore. He leaned towards her again and breathed in at her neck. In return, the alpha scented him just as desperately.

When they reluctantly broke apart, Castiel noticed the other figure in the narrow room, standing only a few steps behind Anna.

“Balthazar?”

“Hey, Cassie. Long time no see.”

Castiel pulled at the beta’s arm until the two men were hugging just as tightly, all three awkwardly crouching on the floor. The omega could feel tears running down his cheeks, but that was all right, his friends were crying too.

After what felt like an eternity but was still not nearly enough time, he sniffed out: “I thought you were dead.”

“Right back at you,” Balthazar tried to joke.

“What happened? How did you find me?”

“In short: We had been recovering on Campbell grounds when a few days ago, we heard a rumour that the Winchester alpha had found a lone omega a few weeks earlier.” Anna said in a cautious voice, like she was scared she might upset Castiel with her words. “It was our only lead, but the time frame matched. The next day, we were lucky enough to hide on a wagon of a farmer who traded with the Winchesters. We were not even sure if… We just wanted to take a look. Honestly, we had more luck than anything else.”

“Hey, don’t insult my silver tongue that opened doors closed to others.”

Anna rolled her eyes at Balthazar, and Castiel choked out a laugh, happy to see such a familiar banter between the two wolves. Balthazar ignored her and turned back to Castiel.

“In record time, I found out where the sleeping chamber of the pack alpha was and I,… well, I wanted to find out whether you were… in it.” Balthazar suddenly seemed to have problems forcing words out of his mouth. He swallowed and then continued with artificial cheeriness: “And then there you were! Right in front of me! Handsome as ever. I had a cloth with some anaesthetic brew in my hand – as a precaution in case someone found out I didn’t belong. You know I like my little herbal helpers.” Castiel did know – he remembered how some of Balthazar’s concoctions had incapacitated a few guards when they had escaped from Heavensgate. “And then I panicked.” Balthazar shrugged and took both of Castiel’s hands in his. The omega noticed the beta’s left hand felt a bit weird, but he could not say why that was. “You lost consciousness, so I draped you in a curtain and just hurried down the stairs. I found this cosy little chamber to hide out and got Anna. I thought: At least we are together again. And now the redhead is angry with me, because I might have risked all our lives.”

“It is a good reason to be mad! We are trapped here and have no plan whatsoever on how we could get out. And this is not only _our_ problem anymore, but Castiel’s as well. We should have waited until we had a plan, so we would not have to simply hide out in this pit.”

Castiel looked around the room in disgust.

“Yeah… and where exactly is this?”

“The compost area, beneath the kitchen.”

Castiel scrunched his nose; that explained a lot. His mind slowly started to work again despite his confusion and happiness. He moaned, loudly.

“How long have we been in here?”

“About two hours?”

“Two hours?” Someone would have noticed his absence about now, Castiel was sure of that much. Maybe they thought he had overslept, but eventually, someone would have started to look for him. “Oh, Dean will be so mad.”

Both Anna and Balthazar suddenly smelled of distress, more than before. Neither was looking anywhere in particular, least at Castiel. It was Anna, who talked first, voice quivering.

“Castiel, how… how are you? Are you…?” She finally looked at him and then narrowed her eyes, raising a hand to his neck. “He has not claimed you yet!”

Just in the moment as Castiel had opened his mouth to answer, the door sprang open with a loud clash, splinters of wood flying around.

In the sudden light stood Dean, with Jody and Victor behind him, all three growling. The pack alpha bared his teeth in a threatening manner and let out an intimidating snarl.

Castiel could imagine what sort of picture was laid out in front of him. Castiel, still sitting on the hard floor, leaning against the far end of the wall, and two strange shifters practically towering over him. One of them had turned to the newcomers with a non-threatening looking piece of cloth in his hand, the other was still holding a hand to the omega’s throat.

Everyone moved eerily fast, or maybe, Castiel was still a bit slow from the drug.

Dean did not even spare Balthazar one look as he barged towards Castiel and ripped Anna off him. Next thing he knew, Jody had Balthazar pressed to the ground and Dean had Anna pinned to a wall by her throat, her feet above the ground. Victor just stood in the middle of the room, looking scary as hell.

“What did you want with him?” Dean barked out, but his words were hardly intelligible, his voice too much of an animalistic snarl. His eyes had turned almost completely gold, and it was only a matter of seconds until his wolf would take over and rip into Anna’s throat.

“Dean! Wait!” Castiel yelled, but the alpha did not react. Castiel scumbled to his feet and gripped Dean’s arm, letting his hand stroke over bare skin, mimicking how Charlie had acted a few days ago. “Please, Dean, calm down. This is my sister, Anna!”

Slowly, Dean loosened his grip around the choking Anna until the female alpha had her feet back on the ground, but Dean still had her pressed to the wall with one hand, and Jody still held Balthazar flat to the ground.

“Explain,” Dean growled. His eyes had not left his potential target, but Castiel knew he was the one he had addressed.

“I… they were trying to rescue me. They have been looking for me, like we have been looking for them. They thought I was held against my will, I guess, and they were trying to help me.”

“By locking you up in the compost department of the kitchen? Yeah, ‘cause that sounds like a believable story.”

At least Dean was talking in full, understandable sentences again. Castiel tentatively tried to pull Dean’s arm away from Anna, and to his relief the alpha let it happen. Dean turned fully towards Castiel for the first time since he had entered the room, then sniffed the air with a disgusted look. Castiel tipped his head to the side, and Dean leaned in to scent him.

Just as the tension seemed to dissolve, Anna made a hesitant movement away from the alpha, and just so, Dean’s arm shot up, and he grabbed her again.

“Dean, please, let her go. This is Anna, my _sister_. She was worried. They did not hurt me. I am all right.” Castiel just kept talking, calming Dean with his words, trying to expel the rest of gold from his eyes until the man would be in full control of the wolf again. “I just reek a bit. We can wash away the stench later.”

Dean stepped back and finally granted Anna room to move, but he instantly reached for Castiel’s hand, not letting go of the omega, tugging him halfway behind his back in a protective manner. The female alpha exhaled loudly, and Castiel turned to Jody.

“And this is my best friend, Balthazar. Jody, would you mind…”

With a shrug, Jody let go of the beta, and Balthazar scrambled up to a more dignified position. Again, Castiel noticed his movements were a bit off.

“Cheers, everyone.”

Castiel did not know how to handle a situation like this, so he relied on everything he had been taught about introductions – not caring about the unusual surroundings.

“Dean, will you meet my beloved sister, Anna, niece of Michael Angyal, as well as Balthazar, a quick-witted messenger of Heavensgate.”

Balthazar gasped loudly at the open statement, and even Anna widened her eyes. But Castiel noticed that neither of them had yet interrupted, obviously trusting Castiel’s judgement. After all, he was the one who had been living in this pack for the last months.

Dean nodded somewhat politely.

“Anna, Balth, may I introduce you to Dean Winchester, the pack alpha of the Winchester clan, as well as Jody, a skilful hunter and teacher, and Victor, one of the First Warriors of Winchester.”

Anna’s gaze flickered to Castiel, who nodded encouragingly, until she seemed to decide to follow his lead. She bowed her head respectfully to Dean, Balthazar following suit in a deeper bow, and the alpha announced in a breathless voice: “It is an honour to meet you, Alpha. I apologise for the circumstance of our meeting. I hope we can clear any misunderstandings.”

Victor chuckled. “Oh, our alpha has some experience with Angyals and misunderstandings.”

“Victor.” Dean’s voice was sharp, seemingly not in the mood for teasing. “Why don’t you show our guests to some spare rooms? Get them clean clothes and water so they can take a refreshing bath. Once they don’t reek any more, have them led to my quarters to share lunch with me and Castiel.”

Dean’s offer of a bath and food was kind enough, but the fact that he did not talk to Anna or Balthazar directly spoke volumes. Without waiting for an answer, the lead alpha turned around and left for the door, pulling Castiel with him. The fact that both Victor and Jody stayed behind could not be reassuring for his friends, but Castiel did not want to fuel the situation again by negating Dean, who was still giving off a strong scent of fury. So, he only threw what he hoped was a reassuring smile over his shoulder as he followed the alpha out through the kitchen.

Dean set a quick pace and Castiel had trouble keeping up. On their way upstairs, they stumbled over Garth, whom Dean just gripped harshly. The beta beamed at Castiel and opened his mouth, but Dean was faster.

“Garth, get someone to prepare a bath in my room. Quickly. And clean clothes for Castiel. Then I want lunch brought up. Four people. Let everyone know Castiel is back. They can stop searching. Send Sam up as soon as possible.”

“Yes, Alpha, at once.” Garth obviously knew when his alpha was not in the mood for cheery affirmation but for quick obedience; he rushed off even more hurriedly than Dean.

As soon as they were in Dean’s quarter, the alpha had his nose buried in Castiel’s neck and held him so tight like he was not about to let him go in the next few hours. Castiel did not complain. Even though the danger had turned out to be non-existent, he still felt agitated, and Dean had a calming effect on him.

But he was also impatient to talk to his sister. Maybe that was the reason why he did not think before blurting out: “You could have been nicer to them, Dean. They probably think they are prisoners right now.”

“Nicer? Nicer! They just hid my omega in the garbage!” Dean shot him an incredulous look, followed by a frown. “Why did you go with them, anyway? You must have known I would be sick with worry.”

The shiver that had run down his spine at Dean calling him _his omega_ had to be ignored for now as Castiel thought about a satisfying answer but went with the truth in the end.

“I… ahem… I did not exactly _go_ with them as much as… I was unconscious until minutes before you barged in.”

The growl forming in Dean’s throat did not bode well, so Castiel was relieved to hear a soft knock on the door. He opened without looking at Dean and let the servants, who were carrying buckets of hot water, enter. They walked right to the bedroom, and soon a pleasant scent was steaming up from the wooden tub. Castiel thanked the boys as they left, while Dean had not moved a muscle and still looked like he wanted to punch something.

Castiel chose to ignore him and started to undress wordlessly. He felt self-conscious doing so since up until yesterday, only his governess and healer had seen his adult form without clothes. It hardly helped that Dean’s gaze roamed over his naked body – although not in a seductive manner, but rather like he wanted to make sure there were no bruises or other signs of harm on him. Finally completely bare, Castiel reached for the alpha’s hand and pulled him towards the bedroom. Dean closed the door behind them while Castiel let himself sink into the warm, oily water. Lavender, perfect.

Dean kneeled next to him and started to rub over Castiel’s body with a washcloth. The soothing circles made Castiel sigh happily and lean closer into Dean’s touches.

“Tell me the truth, Cas. Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m not.” As Dean’s hand moved down his back, Castiel twitched lightly. “Well, after last night, I might feel a little bit sore in certain areas…”

He turned his head and looked up at Dean through his eyelashes, trying to look seductive. His attempt to have Dean concentrate on something more pleasant clearly backfired – the alpha just paled and looked at him in horror.

“Oh, Dean, I am sorry. I am fine, truly. I was just trying to be funny. I won’t do it again, promise.” Castiel smiled warmly.

After a while, Dean spoke again: “Tell me what just happened, Cas.”

“I wanted to go down to have breakfast when there was suddenly a wet cloth pressed to my mouth and nose.” Dean growled again, but otherwise, he remained silent. “I woke up two hours later in the compost room. With my sister and Balthazar.”

Castiel let is voice and his scent emphasise how pleased he was about that.

Dean scoffed. “Yeah, maybe a little bit more elaborate than that.”

“I had not much time to talk to them, but from what I could make out, they only wanted to look for me, make sure I was here. They had not planned to kidnap me, but Balthazar can be a bit impulsive. And you have to consider that they probably guessed I was not treated as well as I am. But they had not really thought it through yet, and really, just after I woke up, there was a devilishly handsome alpha heroically blasting through the door…”

“Oh, flattery won’t get you anywhere.” But Castiel could hear the smile in Dean’s voice. “Lean forwards.”

Castiel did, and Dean poured some water over his head. Seconds later, Castiel leaned into Dean’s hands as the alpha soaped up his hair, massaging his scalp in a way that had the omega purr in delight.

“So, how many people were looking for me?”

“Everyone.”

“Everyone? I could have hardly been missed for longer than half an hour.”

“Maybe, but you have a very protective alpha worrying about you. One with the means to turn a whole town upside down in no time.”

“So I’ll better make sure to never be late to any appointment with you.”

“Yeah, you better do that.” Castiel felt Dean’s lips on his neck before he poured some more water over his head, rinsing out the soap.

There was a soft knock on the bedroom door, and Castiel heard a muffled “Dean? Should I come back later?” from Sam.

“Take your time,” Dean told Castiel as he went up to meet his brother in the living room. Undoubtedly to give him a summary about what had just happened this morning.

By the time Castiel finally opened the door to the next room, dressed in wonderful soft, non-reeking clothes, Sam had already left, and the table was set with cheese, ham, bread and grilled vegetables.

Dean immediately stepped into his personal space and rubbed both his palms over Castiel’s neck.

“Dean. I am fine. Nothing happened. No one stole me away from you or something like that. Those are my family, who had probably been sick with worry. Like I had been.”

Before the alpha could reply, there was another knock on the door.

“Come in.”

“Our guests, Alpha. I bring them just like you asked me to.”

Victor somehow achieved to express with a neutral tone that he believed this task was beneath him. But Castiel did not care about that too much. As soon as his sister and Balthazar stepped in, he rushed towards them and hugged both at the same time.

He leaned back again to take a good look. They seemed healthy enough, although both had lost weight and Anna’s normally shimmering red hair looked dull. Balthazar’s pose was a bit strange, but Castiel could not have said what exactly was the problem.

“I am so glad to see you again. We had send out messengers, but no one had answered yet. Other than the Hellhounds, and they seemed to have no knowledge about you whatsoever.” He gestured towards the table. “Please, sit down.”

The two visitors must have picked up on Castiel’s calm scent by now since they slowly relaxed – which only meant they did not look like they expected to get beheaded in the next minutes.

“Hellhounds?” Anna asked bewildered.

“A neighbour pack. We did not know where you might have ended up, so we looked in all directions.” It was Dean who had answered, causing raised eyebrows from both Anna and Balthazar. Of course, they must have heard of the Hellhound pack before, but they had probably not expected to be searched after.

“Are you both uninjured?” Castiel nearly stumbled over the words; he had been anxious to ask ever since he had looked into Anna’s eyes.

“Well, more than we could have hoped for.” Balthazar lifted a hand, and for the first time, Castiel could see how crippled the fingers on his left hand were.

“Oh, Balth, I am so sorry.”

“Not your fault, Cassie.”

There was a moment’s silence where no one said or did anything. Despite Castiel’s invitation to take a seat, Anna and Balthazar had not moved. Castiel was just about to shove them towards the food, when one look at Dean’s stony face held him back. This might be his family, but Dean was the pack alpha – and Castiel understood that he had to let him take the lead. As long as he was not hurting anyone.

Seemingly satisfied with everyone’s hesitation, Dean gestured towards the table.

“Please, sit.”

When Balthazar started towards the table, it was obvious how he had to draw one leg after him. Anna walked closely next to the beta, like she was supporting him without actually touching him. Castiel narrowed his eyes at them – there was something different about those two. They seemed somehow closer. Before, they were only liked by their mutual relationship with Castiel, but whatever they must have suffered through, it seemed to have tied them together in a way. He assumed this should not have surprised him as much as it did.

The four of them sat down at the table; Dean at the head, motioning for Castiel to sit on his right, Anna and Balthazar on the other side. When Dean unhurriedly loaded a plate in nerve-wrecking silence – no broccoli, he knew that much by now – and handed it to Castiel, Anna frowned, and Balthazar lifted an eyebrow. Castiel was impatient to know how the others had ended up here, but Dean had been challenged enough for one day, and Castiel did not want to rouse him further. He was not scared that Dean might reprimand him if he spoke up, but he understood the alpha’s need to emphasise his status as highest-ranking wolf, so he waited patiently. The fact that Victor had not left but was standing by the door was just another sign of Dean’s dominance in this situation. After an encouraging nod, Castiel started to eat and Dean followed, but the alpha took his time before he addressed the other two with a cool “Eat. You must be hungry.” Hesitantly, they picked up some bread and cheese, and the group ate in an awkward silence for a few minutes, waiting for the alpha to start the conversation. When he finally did, he didn’t waste any breath for an introduction, but asked bluntly:

“As far as I know, Castiel and you got separated after the Roman alphas attacked you. Why don’t you tell us about what happened since?”

It was a polite enough form of interrogation, and the two newcomers seemed to be surprised at how well Dean was informed. Anna quickly glanced at Castiel who could not stop himself anymore. He reached over the table and squeezed her hand for a second. Now, Anna’s glance wandered to Dean, who wore a blank expression on his face. Obviously, she was trying to make sense of their relationship, but Castiel decided he would let Dean get his answers first. He acknowledged it was his right as pack alpha. Obviously, even Anna agreed since she started explaining. But she addressed Castiel directly instead of talking only to Dean.

“After you… after you distracted the two strongest alphas, we managed to fight off the rest.”

“You mean _you_ did. I was barely conscious at the time,” Balthazar chimed in.

Castiel looked at the beta: “I thought you might be dead.”

“Nah, just nearly.”

“And after that… I did not see in which direction you had been running, and with Balthazar bleeding so heavily… I chose not to try to follow you, but to get Balth to safety. I am so sorry, Cas, but I could not find your tracks. There was so much snow, and I was bleeding and…”

“Anna, it is all right. You have done nothing wrong. I am so proud of you for getting the two of you out alive.”

Anna did not look comforted, and Castiel could only imagine the guilt she must have felt after that decision, choosing her friend over her brother only because of probability. He knew his sister had a clearer mind than most alphas, but this didn’t mean she would feel any less despair after leaving her brother alone. She kept staring at Castiel’s face, seemingly unable to continue talking, so Balthazar took over.

“Anna managed to help me escape. We had not known it at the time, but we fled to Campbell territory. Anna had been tough, but she was bleeding herself and had been carrying me more than I had walked on my own. But we got lucky. Just behind the border, we ran into a farm house that belonged to a very nice old beta couple. They took us in without much question and tried to coddle us up. But for weeks, we were mostly delirious. My wounds were pretty straightforward,” he raised his left hand, “but Anna got hit by a heavy fever.”

Anna looked down like she was ashamed for her weakness.

“I will be forever thankful to those farmers for taking care of you both.” Castiel announced, voice thick with tears.

“And then? How did you make your way to this town?” Dean again, tone gruff.

Castiel could practically see the wheels turning in his sister’s head – she probably tried to figure out how honest her answer should be. He nodded again and hoped she would understand his encouragement to be completely open.

“We have only been back on our feet for about a week. We were trying to figure out what to do, how to find Castiel, when the grandson of our saviours came by. He visits them regularly with news from the Fortress. And among his stories, he told us that some Romans had recently invaded Winchester territory as they chased after an omega. And that the head alpha personally had fought them off and taken the omega in.”

Castiel did not need to be a genius to figure out what Anna and Balthazar must have then concluded – after all, he had thought the same thing.

“The next day, we said our goodbyes, promising we would return with some form of payment since we could not help out around the house any more. We felt bad, especially since we did not tell them we thought we might be related to you but simply that we needed to be on our way. Then, we tried to figure out how to sneak into Winchester territory.”

“Right at the border, we met a trader who was on his way to this town, and we managed to hide under the canvas of his cart. He did not even notice we were there. Every time we thought we were about to get busted, he only chatted friendly with some guard.” Balthazar furrowed his brows in concentration. “That was about a week ago. We hid in a small cave, and barely dared to leave. But occasionally we observed the town walls, trying to figure out a way to sneak past the guards. But every trader or cart was being inspected. So we started to lose hope. Especially after we nearly got caught.” He swallowed.

Anna picked up again: “After we arrived, I was trying to get as close to the town walls as possible. And then I saw you. I could hardly believe my luck, but just as I wanted to show myself, you started running. And then there was this alpha. And I could hear voices nearby.”

She let out a heavy breath and Castiel remembered the day he had felt watched in the forest. “For a moment, I thought I would get you back so easily. I even started to believe in the Great Farkas – until you slipped between my fingers again.” Castiel chuckled, since his sister had always made fun of him for praying to the god.

“Well, you nearly scared me to death. I thought someone with evil intentions had followed me.”

“You were followed? When were you going to mention that?” Dean asked in outrage.

“Well, afterwards, I thought I had only imagined it.”

He laid a hand on Dean’s arm to calm the alpha, but it did not seem to work much, he just searched for a different target, growling at Anna: “Then how did you get into town?”

“This morning, we wanted to look for a different way into town – and Farkas seemed to smile at us again. Just as we were hiding near the gate, there was a commotion, a cart had stuck in the snow and everyone around came by to help. Balth and me seized the moment and we just snuck past the engaged crowd unnoticed.”

“Victor, please remind me to round up everyone who was on guard duty today.” Dean barked out. Castiel could almost hear the crunching of the alpha’s jawbones and he wanted to remind him that nothing bad had happened. But he knew he had not enough experience in this certain area, and he needed to let Dean handle this as the alpha saw fit. After all, something bad _could_ have happened. But he silently pitied everyone who had guarded one of the gates today.

“And when in town, we both stole a chicken each as well as covering cloaks and made our way to the castle, claiming we would help in the kitchen.” Balthazar looked at Castiel. “I honestly only wanted to get a look of the place and then – you were suddenly in front of me! I acted before I could think. I was just scared you would yell or something, so I held a hand over your mouth. Unfortunately, that was the hand with the drug.” He turned to Dean with a respectful bow. “I am sorry, Alpha. I should not have done what I did today. But Anna had nothing to do with it. She nearly freaked when I brought Castiel and made us hide below the kitchen.”

Dean growled, not liking the light tone at the end of Balthazar’s apology – but Castiel knew the beta, who always used humour as a shield.

“It was definitely stupid. If what I assume you believe were true and I considered Castiel my property, you would not only have endangered your own lives, but his as well. What were you thinking, hiding beneath the kitchen? You might have been lucky enough to get into the Castle, but you could hardly imagine you would be able to just stroll out of this territory. Trying to hide an omega at the same time!”

“Like I said, it was certainly not my brightest idea, but the other two had nothing to do with it. I myself will accept any punishment you choose.”

Dean studied Balthazar, who had his head tipped to the side, and Castiel knew the alpha well enough by now to realise he was silently impressed with his friend.

“Well, since no one was hurt, and Castiel is clearly happy to have his family around again, I think we can skip the punishments for today.”

Both Anna and Balthazar stared at Dean with wide eyes.

“Now, before I leave the three of you alone to reunite, I have to say this: My pack does not have the same horrific views on omegas as yours. Castiel is not my property. Nor is any omega in this pack seen that way. And if you stay here for any amount of time, I will better not find you treating my pack members with anything other than utmost respect.” Anna and Balth just stared at Dean like they had trouble comprehending his words, but they nodded nonetheless. “And on another topic: Can I trust you are not spies of your uncles but only here for the benefit of Castiel?”

“Yes, Alpha.” Both still looked a bit stunned – this was obviously not how they had expected this meeting to end.

Dean looked at the two shifters with a stern face until he turned to Castiel: “And you believe them?”

“Of course I do, Dean. They left behind everything they knew to protect me. They nearly lost their lives. If not for them, I would be mated to a horrible alpha by now.”

Dean nodded grimly, turning once more towards Anna and Balthazar: “Then I invite you to stay as guests with my pack.” He raised from his chair. “Now, excuse me, I have matters to attend to and I am sure the three of you have much to discuss.”

Dean kissed Castiel on the temple and then left the room, followed by Victor.

Anna and Balthazar stared at the closed door in disbelief.

Castiel just smiled happily.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disappointed? Relieved? Happy? Sad?


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter THIRTEEN

 

The day Anna and Balthazar arrived, Castiel spent the whole afternoon with them, undisturbed in Dean’s room. The three had a lot to discuss. After his friends had narrated the events of the last weeks from their perspective, naturally, Castiel was confronted with dozens of questions on his part.

It had taken a while for them to understand the Winchesters’ different views on various aspects that had seemed to be set in stone within the Angyal pack. Not to mention did they seem to be suspicious of Dean – if he truly wanted Castiel as a mate, then why was the omega already sharing his bed? Castiel was surprised to notice his anger rising at their comments – he knew Anna and Balthazar had had their _fun_ with other pack members; so why shouldn’t Castiel? It seemed like the Winchester ways had started to rub off on him. In the end, he contented himself with emphasising that Dean had not done anything Castiel hadn’t wanted him to do. The actuality that Castiel had stayed with the Winchesters for nearly two months by now and was still unmarked, eventually convinced his friends that things were obviously different in the Western pack. That, and the fact that Dean had not killed them on sight. They all agreed that Michael would never have tolerated a Winchester in Heavensgate for longer than five minutes. At least not with their head attached to their neck.

With a blush, Castiel explained some different customs – so they would not repeat his mistakes. He mentioned how he had bared his neck to Dean since the beginning, and what that gesture meant in the Winchester pack – at this point, even Balthazar seemed flustered.

“But I have been thinking about that, you know. It makes perfect sense,” Castiel said enthusiastically. He was somehow excited to share the Winchester ways with his family. Finally, he talked to someone who was just as astonished as him – and did not look like he was somehow simple-minded. “It feels natural. Not that respect nonsense, that had always seemed forced to me. I only did it, because I have been taught to do it. And you bare your neck when you are scared – that is obvious, and not only for omegas. But to show affection as well… I remember, I sometimes did it with you, Anna, especially when we were kids. Whenever I was sad or lonely. And you always came to comfort me without hesitation.”

Anna looked into the distance like she was reviving some old memories in her mind.

“So, omegas are not only there to bear children? You sure about that? Maybe that is what they say _before_ you mate.” Balthazar still had problems believing everything Castiel had told them. It just seemed odd. Even when they ran to Gabriel’s, they still assumed Castiel would have to mate an alpha, eventually – they just had hoped that their uncle would pick someone honourable and kind for his nephew.

“Well, a good friend of mine has been bonded and claimed by a female alpha. And no one seems to mind that they won’t be able to have children of their own.”

“What?” Anna squeaked. She had always been grumpy that female alphas had a lower rank than male ones – and one of the reasons for their supposed inferiority had been that they could not sire strong offspring with omegas. Being an _omega_ in Michael’s pack, Castiel had never been able to feel much pity for her.

“Yes, and Donna, another friend, is not claimed at all. Trust me, I had a hard time to believe those ideas, but it is true. Here, omegas are respected, and everyone mates whomever they want to, without considering political or monetary gains.”

Anna and Balthazar looked at each other, for just a moment. There was something almost shy in their gaze, and Castiel frowned, wondering not for the first time about their new relationship.

Balthazar caught him looking, and the beta licked his lips, changing the subject abruptly.

“Missouri, the healer, she looked us over. I feared she might suggest cutting off my arm and leg. But she thinks I might be able to move my leg properly again, with the right treatment. She even promised that my hand might not hurt as much in the future.” Balthazar hesitated. “Do you think she is telling the truth?”

“I do. Missouri is a very talented healer and she would not make such a statement if she didn’t think it true.” Both Anna and Balthazar looked at him questioningly, confused by his respectful tone. “Healers are not the same as they were in Heavensgate. They are respected, and they help rather than just cut off body-parts. And neither are the sick seen as weak links that need to be disposed of. If someone is physically restricted, they still find important tasks to do.”

Wonder and relief washed over Balthazar’s face – and only now did Castiel understand. With the Angyals, a messenger with one hardly working leg and a crippled hand would serve no purpose at all. Most likely, they would have been thrown out of the pack, left to fend for themselves. Michael had even once abandoned one of his own sons in the woods, right after he was born. And healers – at least those who tended for the common folk – rarely knew what they were doing. And the one or two who did, they only worked for the Angyal family. Castiel had heard whispers of women who would sell herbal teas and other medicine, but they better not get caught by the palace guard.

Balthazar’s mother had been one of those women.

 

An hour before dinner time, Ellen knocked at the door and offered to show them around the Castle. Castiel was relieved – he had not been sure whether or not he was allowed to do so. Dean had welcomed his friends as guests – but Castiel did not really know about protocol when it came to visitors.

 As they walked through the palace, curious gazes followed them around. News must have spread fast, since most shifters already seemed to know who the newcomers were. They earned a lot more suspicious stares than Castiel ever had – one omega Angyal might have been acceptable, but now two more? And to make it worse, one of them had to be an alpha! The group encountered Alex and Claire, the latter only growled at them and walked off in the other direction. Ellen reacted with a sigh, and again, Castiel wondered about the sudden hostility of the girl. When he had helped out in school, she had seemed to like him well enough.

During dinner, Castiel had learned that everyone who had been on guard duty this morning, both at the town wall as well as the Castle gate, was degraded to clean chamber pots and the like for the next month. That might explain some of the hostile glances Anna and Balthazar received, especially by Ishim and Mirabel. Jesse, on the other hand, looked like he thought he deserved much worse and seemed devastated at his own negligence.

Unfortunately, his friends were not seated at the same table as Castiel. Dean had not welcomed them as new members as he had done with Castiel but as guests, and since they held no high rank, they were obviously not expected to join the pack alpha and his closest friends. Nevertheless, Castiel had hesitantly asked if they could sit up next to him, but Dean had stayed firm that he needed to honour pack-custom. It might not be well received if a pair of Angyals had him bend the rules on their first day. Considering that the arrival of two more strangers had unsettled quite a few people, Castiel agreed. But he did indicate that he himself could join his friends. Dean had looked so hurt at his suggestion that Castiel quickly changed the subject. It was only dinner, and not like he would have to wait for weeks before he could talk to Anna once more.

When he looked down at their table, he was relieved to see that Garth and Meg had engaged in what looked like polite conversation with Anna and Balthazar. He let his gaze wander and was relieved that most shifters in the Hall seemed to accept the presence of the newcomers without open hostility. With a frown, Castiel suddenly noticed Alfie’s absence. He looked to his right and saw Benny with a matching line on his forehead, staring at the empty chair as well. Castiel’s mouth twitched at Benny’s expression – Ellen obviously noticed the alpha’s concern as well, since she murmured loud enough for Castiel to hear:

“Nothing to worry about. He will be back on his feet soon enough.”

After dinner, Castiel showed his friends to their rooms again – and he was quite proud that he knew his way around so well by now. When he had made sure they did not need anything else, the omega left them alone. His heart ached, though he could see how tired Anna was and how much she needed a good long sleep in a comfortable bed.

Castiel went back to his own room, but when looked at his own narrow bed, he frowned, like it had offended him. He hesitated. Dean had kissed him good-night in the Hall, and Castiel assumed this meant he was supposed to stay in his own room for the night.

But why should he not have it all – a cheerful reunion with his family and a passionate night with his alpha? He left his room, walked through the still lively corridors, until he knocked at the leader’s door. No one opened. After short hesitation, Castiel boldly pushed the handle down and entered Dean’s quarters without invitation. There was a nagging thought at the back of his mind that he might not be welcome, but the desire to have his alpha around him helped pushing his doubts to the side. It had been an exciting day and he wanted nothing more than Dean’s scent to calm him, so he would be able to sleep peacefully.

Castiel made his way to the bedroom, undressed, slipped under the covers and waited for the alpha.

 

>><< 

 

The next morning, Castiel could not have said how long he had waited until he fell asleep – but he suspected he had been gone as soon as he had snuggled into the pillows. He awoke sometime in the middle of the night with a heavy alpha wrapped around him like the man feared Castiel would disappear if he didn’t hold onto him as tight as he could. The embrace could have seemed restricting, but Castiel just felt safe and cherished – and he had dozed off again, with a soft smile on his lips.

Now, he let out a mixture between a sigh and a moan when he breathed in deeply, drinking in the strong alpha scent, eyes still closed. He heard an answering rumble from underneath him, and slowly opened his eyes. Dean lay on his back, Castiel on top of him, covering the alpha almost completely. Castiel had his nose pressed to the crook of Dean’s neck, where his scent was strongest. The alpha stroked a hand up and down Castiel’s back.

Suddenly, he remembered how he had come here without asking. He stuttered out:

“I hope this was all right, Dean. I mean… coming here unannounced. Maybe I should not have assumed…”

He was interrupted by a low chuckle. “You are always welcome, Cas. This was a pleasant surprise. I just wished I had known, so I would have retired sooner.”

“Yes, I was a bit disappointed you were not here. I had plans.”

“Oh. What kind of plans could that be?” He let his hand wander a bit lower, massaging circles into Castiel’s butt cheeks.

“I think you can guess.”

“Hm. But maybe I would like you to tell me anyway.” Dean let a finger play around Castiel’s hole, teasing a gush of slick to leak out.

“Dean,” Castiel all but whined, face beet red and ass wriggling to try and get Dean’s fingers to move where he wanted them to be.

Dean stopped moving his hands completely for a moment. “It’s a shame you did not wake up earlier. I need to be on my way.”

Castiel held himself up on his elbows and looked down at the alpha with a look of outrage on his face. He wanted to get up? Now?

Despite his words, Dean still kneaded Castiel’s ass, letting one finger be pulled into his hole until the omega moaned.

“Dean,” he said again, trying to persuade the alpha with just this one word. It seemed to work, because Dean let out a low rumble. Castiel rubbed his crotch over Dean’s midsection and was satisfied when he noticed the hardness of the alpha’s cock. Dean would not deny them both the pleasure.

“Dean, please,” Castiel whined again, convinced this was the way to get anything from the alpha.

Dean teased his fingers into Castiel’s hole some more – until his hand was covered in slick and Castiel’s breathing sped up. Slowly, Dean turned them around until both men lay face-to-face on their side. Then Dean started to stroke Castiel’s erect cock with his slick-lubed hand. Castiel moaned, and after short hesitation, he mimicked Dean’s actions and gripped the alpha’s cock in turn. Dean seemed very appreciative.

It did not take long for both men to moan out their release, first Castiel, soon followed by Dean.

“Was that in the lines of you had planned?”

Dean lazily licked his way into Castiel’s mouth.

“No. It had to do with your knot,” Castiel huffed out, still out of breath. Dean laughed out loud.

With one last peck to Castiel’s lips, Dean hopped off the bed.

“No time for that now. I really should be off. Bobby hates to wait.”

Dean winked and then left to the adjoined room. Just before the door closed, he said: “And I am sure you want to meet your sister right away.”

Still lying on the bed, Castiel blinked. Oh Farkas! Dean had almost made him forget about his sister. He probably would have felt ashamed if not for the happy dizziness still humming through his body. But still, he wanted to make sure both his friends had slept well and were safe.

By the time he walked to the next room, Dean was already gone. Castiel quickly washed up and got dressed. Then he ran down the corridors and knocked at Anna’s door. He was surprised to see Balthazar already there. They both reminded him of his own first day – he had waited on his bed as well, not sure whether he was supposed to go to the Hall or not. At least, the two of them had each other, Castiel thought almost enviously.

“I came to pick you up for breakfast.”

The trio made their way to the Hall and sat down at Castiel’s usual breakfast table. Soon, Jessica joined them with Deana as well as Crowley. Balthazar picked the little girl up and made funny faces that had her fall over with laughter. Jess seemed not scared to see her girl in the hands of a total stranger and Castiel loved her a little bit more just for that. He was surprised how well his friend handled the toddler, and he could have sworn that there was a jealous expression on Crowley’s face since the girl was only interested in the beta at the moment. Otherwise, the alpha treated the newcomers politely, to Castiel’s surprise. It seemed almost like the arrival of the two shifters made him more willing to believe Castiel’s story.

Soon, Charlie and Dorothy strolled into the Hall, holding hands, and Anna looked at the couple with something close to awe on her face. The two women acted more affectionate with each other than Castiel was used to.

Crowley snorted out: “Get a room, you two. Some people are trying to eat here.”

“Can’t blame me. I had to sleep in a cold, empty bed, abandoned by my own mate,” Dorothy grumbled out theatrically.

“Huh?” Castiel looked at Charlie. He could not guess what the omega might have done during the night.

“Alfie is in heat,” Charlie answered like this would explain anything. “And speaking of the little brat, I promised him to send you up, straight after breakfast.” Charlie looked at Jess. “And he said he would love to see you and the little bee in the afternoon, after he had enjoyed a little bit of _alone time_. His words, not mine.”

“Heat? But it is December?” Castiel wondered.

“Well, male omegas always hit heat early, don’t you? And Alfie’s had always been more irregular then most.”

Castiel knew that male omegas did not have the natural, _proper_ schedule as most females had – which would normally be twice a year in early spring and late summer. Like most male omegas, Castiel was always early, usually early February and August – but December was strange, even to him. On the other hand, it might explain how impatient and irritable Alfie had been the last couple of days. Castiel himself always felt off before a heat hit – he was often tired and yelled at people for no obvious reasons. Or he broke out in tears.

Castiel frowned and looked longingly at Anna and the still playing Balthazar. He did not want to leave his friends. But Jess convinced him: “Go on, we will keep them company.” Coming from Jess, that statement was a lot more affirmative than it would have been from Crowley.

But Castiel still wore hard lines on his forehead as he was on his way to his friend. He did not know why he should keep him company. In his old pack, whenever he was in heat, no one would be allowed in his room. Twice a day, Hannah, his omega governess, came to bring food and water. She just put it on the table in the ante-room, sometimes she would yell a concerned “Castiel?” through the closed door. Castiel had mostly answered with a sardonic “still alive”, because he had assumed that was all that mattered. But it was not Hannah’s fault. It had been forbidden for anyone to even be in the same room as Castiel. When he had been younger, he had asked for the healer once or twice since the cramps had seemed unbearable – but Michael had informed him, that it had to wait. Castiel knew there were medicines for all kinds of aches – but obviously, not for an omega in heat. Since it might reduce the chances of getting pregnant in the future. Superstition, of course.

With those thoughts in mind, he knocked hesitantly at Alfie’s door, not wanting to wake the omega in case he had dozed off. Heats always made sleepy.

“Yes?” The voice sounded surprisingly chipper. Castiel could hardly mumble during heat.

“It’s me, Alfie. Charlie said you wanted to see me.”

“Oh finally! Come in, please!”

Castiel hesitantly stepped in. He had never been in Alfie’s room before. It looked very much like his own, but twice as large. He sniffed and could easily detect the scent of heat and slick, but not as much as his old room had always reeked. The sheets seemed to be freshly changed as well as the casual clothes Alfie was wearing. There was also a bitter scent in the air – Castiel assumed it came from the tea his friend held in hands.

“Come on.” Alfie patted at a spot next to him on the bed. He put the teacup on his nightstand. “I am glad it is your turn. Charlie had tried to teach me stupid card tricks half of the night and then… well, you know, she _snores_.” His voice had turned to a conspiratorial whisper at the end.

“You mean she slept here? With you?”

“At least for a couple of hours. Heats make sleepy.”

Castiel sat down next to Alfie and was surprised that the omega instantly cuddled up to him; he wrapped his arms around Castiel and let his head rest on his chest. Castiel did not really know what to do. Suddenly, his stomach dropped as he remembered how the Winchesters were more _open_ in some areas than he would have ever dreamed of… Did this mean omegas helped each other through heats? Like, in a hands-on way? He suddenly felt very uncomfortable. Sure, he liked Alfie a lot, but…

“So, what should we do? How about you tell me all about what happened yesterday. I am so miffed that I did not get to meet your Anna and that Balthazar.” Alfie chuckled and again, Castiel was surprised at his cheery attitude. “Since you arrived, it has never been boring, Cas.”

Castiel noticed a piece of cloth Alfie cradled in one of his hands. One deep breath had him guess what it was. He indicated at the fabric.

“Alfie, is that what I think it is?”

The young man shrugged. “Probably.”

Castiel’s eyes widened. “This is one of Benny’s shirts?”

“Of course. The scent helps me, and I like it around when I take care of myself. Unfortunately, Benny never came up with the idea of giving it to me himself, so I usually steal one when I notice my heat sneaking up on me.”

Castiel just stared at him for a moment, not believing how brazen the young man could be.

“What? If I have to stay in my room for a whole week, I might just have something I enjoy. Like your company.”

“About that… what am I supposed to do here?” Alfie frowned at him. “I am sorry, but I simply don’t know. Where I am from, an unmated omega would always spend a heat alone. Not even the servants were allowed to come near.”

Alfie looked at him with wide eyes. “But isn’t that just unbelievably dull! A whole week without company. What do you do all the time?”

What, indeed? In Heavensgate, it had been considered fact that omegas in heat were in a completely lust-dazed state during the whole time. They would only be able to think about alphas and knots and how they wanted to be filled. Now, Castiel had always known that much was stupid. Yes, heat made you more easily aroused, and he had pleasured himself more often than usual, but there had been long – and admittedly boring – hours in between.

“Well, I read a lot,” Castiel answered with a blush, and Alfie just scoffed.

“Your old pack was really strange, I hope you don’t mind me saying that.” Castiel did not mind one bit. “Here, an unmated omega is not expected to be all alone. Well, alphas and betas are not allowed anywhere near the omega in heat, but other omegas usually take turns to keep each other company. And, you know, the scent alone helps. Not to mention it is not as dull. There are definitely moments when I don’t want anyone here, but we are not too shy to throw each other out.” He winked, and Castiel blushed.

“So this means you will be on heat duty every time it hits me. At least until Benny comes to his senses – then I don’t want you anywhere near me.”

Castiel stared sheepishly at his hands as the scent of slick intensified. Alfie laughed.

“Oh, you are such a prude, Castiel. It is oddly adorable.” He sobered up. “But I guess, if I grew up in a place where alphas might just randomly claim an omega, I would have turned out quite differently as well.” He shuddered. “You know, when I was a kid, I had always had nightmares of someone claiming me. And the incident with Gordon had not made it any better. It always reminds me that there is a risk, even here. And how could I live with the mark of someone I had not chosen! I was still a child when Claire’s parents died, but that story never let me go.”

“Claire? What do you mean?”

Castiel slung an arm over Alfie’s shoulder and the omega purred happily.

“Claiming omegas from a rival pack, it is a usual war tactic. Even around these territories. I am sure Dean would never allow this, no matter how horrible an enemy had acted, but the Romans certainly do, and even Amara or Abaddon’s pack don’t respect omegas from other packs as much as their own. And when at war, I fear even to the Campbells, all omegas are fair game. Claiming them is an easy way to weaken a pack.” He swallowed.

Alfie’s indications were so disordered, Castiel had a hard time to follow.

“What has all that to do with Claire?”

“Her parents: Jimmy was an alpha, and Amelia an omega. The two had been courting, and everyone says they had been, like, made for each other. But then Michael and Lucifer attacked.” Castiel could not help but feel ashamed anytime someone mentioned the war. “And, well, sometime during the battle, an Angyal managed to get close to Amelia – and claimed her with no warning. He had not even… mounted her, but just put his mark on her as soon as she got close enough. He had escaped before anyone could catch him, no one ever even found out who he was.”

Alfie swallowed, and you could see how this had been the nightmare story of his childhood.

“She was devastated, and Jimmy… They tried to make it work nonetheless, they formed a mating bond, even when Jimmy could not mark her. But it did not end well. Jimmy and Amelia still loved each other deeply, but their wolves… I don’t know how it feels and I will be glad to never find out, but Jimmy’s wolf was never able to truly accept her, he grew more aggressive with every month that passed. And Amelia seemed to be divided as well. They tried for years, though. And to everyone’s surprise, Amelia even got pregnant. But after Claire was born, everything just got worse. In the end, against John’s orders, Jimmy ran away to find the alpha who did this, convinced he could make him out by scent, and kill him so Amelia would be free of his claim, even if his wolf might still not accept her. He never came back. Two years later, Claire had still been a little child, Amelia left the pack as well to search after her mate. But just like him, she never returned.”

Suddenly, Castiel could understand Claire’s anger at him. It must have been unbelievably hard for a child to be left by her parents, and in the end, it had been the fault of an Angyal.

Alfie sighed again. “It sometimes makes me doubt this whole claiming thing.” Castiel perked up, surprised – normally, Alfie made it sound like the most romantic thing imaginable. “Oh, don’t get me wrong, I still would want it, with the right alpha.” Alfie held the shirt still in his hands up and breathed in deeply. “But it is so very final. I always dream about the deep bond an omega can share with their mate, to feel them within themselves, but it will be just as devastating when left alone. If your mate dies, it must leave a horrible hole inside you – assuming it is the mate you chose, the one who completes you. And when claimed by the wrong wolf, there is just no way back, and no other wolf will ever accept you. Look at Jimmy, his wolf had chosen Amelia to be the perfect mate for him – but he could not overcome the mark of the other wolf. On the other hand, there is Bobby and Ellen. They both had loved their beta mates deeply, but after some time, they found a way to move on, with each other.”

Castiel did not like the melancholic look on his friend’s face. “So, you mean if Benny asked, you would say no?”

He laughed. “Hell no! But I will definitely insist on a long courting time, if only to pay him back for ignoring me for so long. And you know, you don’t have to let yourself get marked right after the bonding ceremony. Charlie let Dorothy wait for almost a year.”

“A year?”

“Yeah. And Donna never let Doug claim her. Good thing, turned out he was a dick.”

Castiel just blinked.

“It seemed like he was a bit… old-fashioned. Wanted Donna to stop hunting and urged her to give him children as soon as her first heat came around. From what I heard, he had been different when he was still courting her. Anyway, he does not live here anymore. They say he left on his own free will to find a pack better suited for him.” He chuckled. “Well, they _actually_ say Jody very much suggested it. Not too friendly.”

Castiel responded with a smile of his own. He could very well imagine Jody giving that man a piece of her mind.

“But enough of my past nightmares. The heat probably just makes me grumpy, because I have to spend it with you instead of some virile alpha.”

“Oh, thank you very much,” Castiel pouted.

“Don’t be like that. I am sure you will prefer Dean’s company to mine when _your_ heat hits.” He nuzzled Castiel’s shoulder. “Tell me about your sister instead. You must be so happy to see her alive and healthy.”

Castiel narrated the events of the previous day. When he got to the point where Dean had burst the door open to come and save him, he noticed the scent of slick increasing again, and Castiel frowned unhappily. It must have translated to his scent since Alfie snuggled closer to him until his head was at the crook of Castiel’s neck once more.

“Relax, Cas. I am in heat. It is not my fault every display of alpha strength turns me on.”

Castiel had to chuckle at the blunt honesty. As long as Dean was nowhere near the other omega, he could live with his reaction.

 

>><< 

 

But when he saw Dean again a couple of hours later, the jealousy just flared up again, and Castiel all but attacked the alpha in the hallway. He pressed him to the wall and claimed his mouth in an uncharacteristic show of possessiveness.

When Dean pushed him back gently, Castiel did not know what to make of it. Suddenly realising he was in a public space, he looked around – embarrassed because of his behaviour as well as the rejection. Fortunately, there was no one around.

“Not that I don’t like where this is going, but could you wash up beforehand?” Dean stroked through Castiel’s hair. “Your reek, Cas, of heat and slick. And it is not the omega I like these scents coming from.” Putting it like that, Castiel was oddly happy at Dean´s rejection. “I need to discuss something with Cesar right now, but maybe in about half an hour, we could take a bath toge…”

“Oh, never mind, I should go look for Anna anyway.”

Dean blinked at him. “Huh? What?”

Castiel just grinned and left a pouting alpha behind as he made his way to his own room to quickly clean up and change his clothes. He felt oddly smug. But he admitted he probably hadn’t been too nice to his alpha.

When he found Anna, his sister sat alone within the treeline behind the Castle, draped in blankets and a warm cloak. She jumped up, and hugged Castiel like she could still not believe he was healthy and happy. That feeling was mutual.

“Where is Balth?” Castiel asked, frowning at Anna’s loneliness.

“Oh, he was commandeered by Missouri to join her and learn some exercises for his leg and hand.” There was a gentle smile around her lips.

“I am glad you two got along so well.”

Anna scoffed, but then she turned thoughtful. “You know, I might have misjudged him for all those years. He always seemed like such a braggart, telling stories that always sounded exaggerated to me and somehow made him look like a hero from one of your knight tales.” Castiel tried to look indignant at her remark. “Not to mention his sleek flirting all the time. My impression only slowly changed when he declared he wanted to help you, help us. And now… I can’t believe I never saw how strong he was, how much he cared, despite his nonchalant demeanour. He has been a good friend, a loyal companion, those last few weeks.” She chuckled. “I guess you have some good instincts after all.”

“Does not mean he is not a show-off.” Castiel grinned.

“Oh, that he certainly is.” Anna laughed and then she studied Castiel for a while. “You have changed, Castiel. You are… I don’t know, lighter, more cheerful than I have ever seen. And, I don’t know, _louder_ , more confident.”

“It certainly helps to live in a pack where no one considers omegas their property,” he answered dryly.

Anna smirked at him. “And I am sure a certain alpha has nothing to do with your happy mood.”

Castiel’s mouth twitched. “No, absolutely not.”

“Shame, then maybe I should not have given him my permission to let him court you.”

“What?”

“Right after breakfast, he sought me out, asking me for my blessing, should you agree. It was kind of bizarre. Not to mention that since he is the pack leader and as I have learned you are now a pack member, he certainly does not have to ask anyone for permission. He also looked a bit sheepish when he talked to me about it – which was strange, considering he had me hanging up a wall just yesterday, and acted pretty much like a tough, scary alpha so far.”

“So what did you say?” Castiel almost slapped her shoulder to get her to go on.

“I said that, if you chose him, it is not my intention to stand between you and happiness. I also said I would cut off his balls, should he ever hurt you.” Castiel gasped, but Anna just smiled. “He kind of seemed to like that,” she added in a satisfied tone. “He seems like a good man.”

“He is. I never knew a pack leader could be like that. Looking after everyone, not suppressing them. That’s how it’s supposed to be.”

Anna’s expression changed, she looked sad all of a sudden. “But I guess this means you will stay here.”

Castiel reached for his sister’s hand. It was cold, and he wondered how long she had been alone in the chilly air. He looked intently at her when he declared: “You could, too.”

“I don’t know, Cas. I don’t really belong here, do I?”

“Think about it. Get to know them. It is not like you have anywhere else to be right now.”

Anna nodded, reluctantly.

 

>><< 

 

Castiel awoke with the feeling that something was different. He lay on his side, in Dean’s bed, and felt soft breathing at his throat. Nothing special there, he was used to this by now. But something still felt strange. He slowly turned his head and yelped as he saw the large wolf, currently nuzzling his neck. His heart started to race. While he himself was in human form, the wolf seemed even more intimidating than usual. Involuntarily, he thought about the stories he had heard about omegas who had not learned to shift properly, getting claimed by a wolf.

Also, he was pretty sure he had fallen asleep with a _man_ wrapped around him.

After he recovered from the initial shock, he noticed how careful the wolf was, not touching him other than the soft nose at his neck. Castiel raised a hand and the wolf leaned into it.

“Dean? Everything all right?”

The wolf licked over Castiel’s hand.

“Ugh, gross.”

A moment later, a grinning human lay next to Castiel.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. He insisted to scent you before we got up.”

“I don’t mind. Much.”

It had been a week since Anna and Balthazar had arrived. Just like Castiel had in the beginning, the two newcomers helped out in school. But in contrast to him, they were never left alone with the pups. Castiel, on the other hand, spent most of his days shifting and training with Donna or Jo since Jody needed to spend more time at the school again – probably to keep an eye on the new _teachers_. Victor had initially suggested to help with Castiel’s training, but a grumbled _no_ from Dean had ended that discussion rather quickly.

During that last week, Castiel had practically moved in to Dean’s chambers. Most of his new belongings were now here, even though some books and clothes still lay in his old room.

“You smell really good in the morning.” Castiel frowned at Dean. “I mean it. Your scent is all pure and strong. And you always smell a little bit like me.”

Castiel huffed. “By now, I always smell like you.”

“But not like that. Not the way you do after I have spent the whole night pressed against you and licked every spot of you and marked you up.”

Castiel groaned. Dean’s words did not fail to arouse him – neither did the hard cock rubbing against his hip.

Just as Dean started to nip at Castiel’s neck, there was a soft knock on the door, making both men jump since neither had realised someone had entered the adjoined room.

“Dean?” It was Sam’s voice. “Are you… ah … presentable? I have some urgent information.”

Dean looked down at Castiel with an impression that made the omega fear for Sam’s life; then the alpha got up, draped a blanked over Castiel, and walked to the door, stark naked, cock still standing proud against his stomach.

He thrust the door open and all but yelled: “What?”

Castiel wanted to die from embarrassment when Sam’s eyes shifted between him and Dean, the beta’s face turning a dark red. Dean just kept staring at him with murder in his eyes.

“I sure hope this is important, Sammy.”

“It is.” Sam slowly remembered why he was here. “A messenger just arrived, one we sent out to look for Anna and Balthazar.”

“So?” Dean pinched the bridge of his nose like he was clinging to his last bit of patience.

“He was sent to the north. His partner, Bela, will be here by noon, he said.”

“If you just yanked me out of bed to tell me that, so help me Farkas, I will…”

“She is not alone, Dean, she has company.” Sam looked at Castiel.

“Gabriel is with her.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you don’t mind that: nothing really happened in this chapter…


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since almost every comment to the last chapter was some form of “Gabriel!” I better tell you right now: He is not going to be a major player in this story – so don’t get your hopes up. :-D

Chapter FOURTEEN

 

When Gabriel arrived, he looked just like Castiel remembered him.

The alpha was clothed in expensive and colourful fabrics – and he did not look comfortable on the back of a horse. His entourage consisted of two servants and two fully loaded pack horses, which also reminded Castiel of the past. Gabriel never travelled light. The surprising thing, however, was that he was only accompanied by two guards, making it at total of five people in his entourage. In Heavensgate, he would have always arrived with at least twenty more in his wake. Dean’s messenger, Bela, was the only one in wolf form.

Jody mumbled beside Castiel: “A horse? Why would a wolf travel by horse?”

“Westerners. Who knows why they do things!” Benny scoffed out. Then he looked apologetically at Castiel and mumbled: “Ahem… sorry. I did not mean it like that.”

Castiel just nodded, trying to not look offended.

“Travelling by horse is a symbol of high rank,” Balthazar chirped in. “As a messenger, I have always journeyed in wolf form, with only one set of clothes and some nutrition in a small bag. But high-ranking alphas obviously need more… stuff, wherever they go. And that is not easy to take with you in wolf form.”

More than one member of the waiting group snorted at this explanation. Castiel knew that the Winchesters did not need many amenities. And if they got hungry on a trip, they could simply hunt down any food they needed. On top of that, they did not care too much for pretentious clothes or jewellery.

“Also, some alphas are so pampered, they hardly know how to shift and would never be able to keep running for longer than a few hours,” Meg murmured, tone condescending. It was obvious she thought alphas should be able to fight their way through any challenges thrown at them – otherwise, they weren’t worth much. She suddenly realised who stood beside her and added apologetically, with a sheepish side-glance at Anna: “Or so I have heard.”

“What I know of Gabriel – he definitely likes as much comforts as possible.” Anna frowned at Gabriel’s approaching form. “Though, that horse doesn’t look very comfortable with Gabriel on his back.”

The group waited in the courtyard of the Winchester Castle as Gabriel and his entourage trotted through the gates. Castiel clenched his hands nervously. He did not know how Gabriel would react to his flight. Or to the fact that, after the last few weeks, Castiel considered himself more a Winchester than an Angyal now. When he had informed Anna this morning, his sister had looked just as torn between excitement and fear as he felt. Three months ago, nothing would have delighted him more than to see his uncle, hoping he would save him from a horrible fate – but now, he might choose to stand in the way of Castiel’s happiness.

The omega anxiously stepped from one foot to the other. He would have liked to have Dean right next to him, but the alpha stood between Sam and Ellen, a few steps ahead of the rest of the group, to greet the newcomers. Castiel suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and smiled at his sister in gratitude.

Gabriel dismounted, and he and Dean walked towards each other. They halted at a short distance, nodded almost unnoticeably and avoided direct eye-contact.

“I greet you, Alpha of Winchester.”

Gabriel’s voice boomed through the whole courtyard. Anna and Castiel looked at each other with matching raised eyebrows. Gabriel managed to sound respectful yet somewhat sarcastic at the same time. He had perfected that tone in his conversations with Michael.

Dean held out one hand. “I welcome you as a guest of Winchester, Gabriel of Angyal.” They shook, and Dean added bluntly: “Even though your sudden arrival came quite as a surprise.”

Fortunately, Gabriel reacted with a huffed out laugh instead of taking offence. But his reply held the same mixture of politeness and suspicion as Dean’s words had: “Not as much as it had been a surprise that your messengers told me my nephew was with you. You can’t blame me for wanting to make sure he is all right.”

Dean raised an eyebrow at the insinuation but said nothing. Gabriel let his gaze wander over the group waiting behind their head alpha, and Castiel was impressed by his haughty expression – after all, the Winchesters were an intimidating pack. And Gabriel had almost no back-up if they decided they did not like his attitude.

“I see, I have been told only half the truth. My niece is here as well. I guess that means I can call back my search dogs.”

There were growls all around. And for a moment, Gabriel looked uneasy. Castiel noticed Anna and Balthazar were confused at the sudden hostility as well. But he had lived here long enough to know one thing: Wolves did not like being called _dogs_. And a wealthy Angyal alpha referring to any of his subjects in that manner? It confirmed every stereotype.

Dean raised a hand, and the growling stopped. It was both a subtle yet effective way to demonstrate the power over his pack.

“Anna and Balthazar only joined us recently. But I am sure they will be just as happy to see you. Please, follow me into the warmth. Your horses and followers will be looked after.”

Dean and Gabriel strode inside and walked directly to the Council Hall, followed by Sam and Ellen. Jody, Benny, and Meg stayed behind while Castiel, Anna and – after a soft nudge from the female alpha – Balthazar joined the two pack alphas.

As soon as the doors to the previously empty Hall closed, separating the group of seven from prying eyes, Gabriel turned towards his family members for the first time.

“Now, can we forget about this social nonsense? Cassie, you look good.” He hugged the omega. Castiel was surprised – he could not remember his uncle ever doing so before. “And I am glad you are not missing anymore, love,” Gabriel said as he embraced Anna as well. Then he waved dismissively in Balthazar’s direction. “I don’t know you, but I must be glad you are alive as well, I am sure.”

Balthazar bowed, with an amused glint in his eyes. He did not seem to take it personal that Gabriel did not recognize him, even though, out of the three of them, Balthazar was the only one who had been to Loki multiple times.

“I can’t wait to hear your story. Quite an adventure you all had.” Gabriel lead Anna to the round table at the front of the room and added without turning around: “Dean-o, why don’t you get us some wine and pastries. The journey made me rather peckish, and I would like to talk undisturbed with my niece and nephew for a while.”

Castiel gaped at his uncle. He could not believe that Gabriel would just burst right into another territory and talk like that to the head alpha. But Dean only rolled his eyes, and Castiel remembered this was not their first meeting.

“All right, you get half an hour. Then I want the truth as to why you rushed here so fast.”

Dean looked firmly at Gabriel and the other alpha nodded. Then, the Winchester turned around and left the Hall, Sam and Ellen in tow – Sam looked strangely amused while Ellen seemed ready to strangle Gabriel.

A moment later, the older Angyal sat at one end of the table with Castiel, Anna and Balthazar next to him. The latter had seemed unsure whether he should stay, but again, Anna had just tugged him towards her.

“I am glad you have not lost your nerve, uncle. Barging into the centre of another pack and then boss around the head alpha. That is either extremely bold, or extremely stupid.” Anna raised an eyebrow at Gabriel. She obviously did not know what to make of him. For the last week, she had been trying to fit in, acting respectful towards anyone, afraid she might accidentally offend a pack member.

“Well, I like to think I am a healthy mixture of both,” Gabriel grinned. “But in all honesty: I have lived in the East for quite a while now. And no matter how much I might have hated it at first, life is a lot easier here. You just need to know how to handle the packs around. For example, the Winchesters are hung up on honour. And since I have never offended them, and I came here without protection, they will not charge at me unless I insult someone in a very public way.”

“I _have_ been confused at your small entourage,” Anna noted drily.

“With us Angyals, it is all about show. You need to travel with a whole army to induce respect. _Oh, look at him, he can afford to bring a hundred people!_ But with most packs around here, you travel with few companions to show peaceful intentions – and it is suddenly their job to keep you safe. Seriously, it would be like their greatest disgrace if anything happened to me while under their protection. Also, I think they consider you to be somewhat _incapable_ as a shifter if you need too many servants.”

Castiel huffed out a short laugh – his uncle obviously did not know how ludicrous his travelling party had still looked to the Winchesters. Gabriel turned to Castiel, obviously unaware what had amused the omega.

“Since I got to know them quite a bit in the last decades, I was quite sure the Winchesters would treat you well, Cassie. And they have not hurt you, have they?”

“No. No, they haven’t.”

Gabriel patted his knee, the gesture somewhere between condescending and reassuring.

“Now, you three, tell me all about your journey.”

Anna and Castiel narrated the events since Lucifer had broken his engagement promise. They mentioned Michael’s search for another ally and how they nearly died in the cold after they left Heavensgate behind. The attack of the Romans evoked a few colourful insults from Gabriel. When Castiel told about how he was separated from his friends and shortly afterwards rescued and welcomed by the Winchesters, he left out the fact that Dean was currently courting him. They were hurrying through their story already, knowing that any moment they could be interrupted by the Winchesters’ return.

And all too soon, Anna and Balthazar had still not come to the point where they accidentally kidnapped Castiel, Dean came back, with his brother again following him like a silent shadow.

The alpha casually picked up one of the pastries a servant had brought in and ate it down in one bite. Then he said straightforwardly:

“Now, Gabriel, why are you here?” Dean did not like to beat around the bush when he wanted something.

Gabriel pressed a hand over his chest and looked at Dean with wide eyes, all mock-offended.

“Is it so hard to believe I just wanted to make sure my nephew is in good health?”

“No, it is not. But it’s not typical for you to be in such a hurry. Considering your pace, you must have set off shortly after Bela and Ed had arrived in Loki.” Dean straightened and towered over the still sitting Gabriel. “And from what I heard, you have not seen this precious nephew of yours in ages – so why take such interest all of a sudden?” There was a threatening tone in Dean’s voice. His worry infected Castiel – maybe they had misjudged Gabriel, maybe he was siding with Michael.

Gabriel looked affected by Dean’s words, his expression completely serious for the first time Castiel had known the man. He had never seen anything but a cheery or sarcastic expression on his uncle’s face before.

“I live far away from my brothers, and they don’t exactly keep me informed of their affairs. I had not known of Castiel’s situation.”

Dean slowly sat down next to Castiel, but he did not stop glaring at Gabriel. Sam took a seat next to Balthazar, silently observing.

“And the reason I rushed here so fast: Just the day before your messenger arrived, we got visited by someone else. And that had me alarmed.”

Gabriel made a pause, for dramatic effect to be sure.

“What is this, a guessing game? Just say what you have to say.” Dean was not in the mood for Gabriel’s antics. Castiel reached for his hand, and Dean intertwined their fingers.

“Oh, that is how it is! You are after my nephew.” Gabriel pointed accusingly at Dean. “Rescuing him, my ass. You probably only wanted someone to shove your…”

“Gabriel! Enough.” It was Anna, surprising both Castiel and Dean with her firm tone. “It is not like you didn’t scent it the moment you got close to Castiel. Don’t try to distract us now. Back to your story.”

Castiel sniffed slightly. Was the scent of Dean so strong on him? Well, probably.

Gabriel looked sternly at Castiel, not impressed by Anna’s order: “Your sister is right, you reek of that alpha, Cassie.” Dean’s grip on Castiel’s hand tightened. “Care to tell me why that is the case?”

“Tha… well, Dean is courting me.” Castiel stuttered out. “And I am very happy with that,” he added after a second.

Gabriel thought about that for a moment, then: “Still doesn’t explain why you smell like he has been rubbing his scent over every little part of your body or why…”

“That is none of your business,” Castiel declared in a tone as firm as his reddened face allowed.

“All right,” Gabriel replied with a grin and a nod. Strangely, he seemed to like the answer. He cleared his voice and continued like he had never been deflected: “There was this tough looking alpha guy, with as much humour as a brick. Came to my fort, said he got lost in the snow… blah blah… and asked for lodging for a couple of nights, until he regained his strength. Being as hospitable as one can get, I welcomed him with open arms.” Gabriel paused like he waited for someone to applaud his hosting skills. No one reacted, even Sam seemed to lose patience. The two men exchanged a glance and Castiel had the impression they did not just meet for the first time, either. With an exaggerated sigh, Gabriel continued: “The next day, one of my guards caught him sniffing about – and I mean actual _sniffing_. When I addressed him about it, he admitted with an unbearable cocky attitude that he was from the Adler clan and searched for a runaway omega, my nephew. I threw him out.” He looked at Dean and raised both hands in an appeasing gesture. “Before you say anything, I see now this was not entirely clever.” Then he turned to Castiel. “I was worried for you. But before I could engage in a devious plan, this Bela came around and told me you are well and healthy.” He looked at Anna. “So I only had to worry about you.”

The two siblings were visibly touched by their uncle’s rare outburst of emotion. But Dean and Sam seemed more troubled with the rest of what he had revealed.

“Did he tell you his name? The alpha that came looking for Castiel,” Sam asked.

“He called himself Uriel.”

Castiel gasped and he could not stop the fear mixing into his scent. Dean gripped his hand even tighter than before and narrowed his eyes threateningly at Gabriel, like it was _his_ fault that his soon-to-be mate was in distress.

“And I don’t think he is on his own.” Gabriel decided to make matters worse. “He was in too good shape. No wolf, no matter how tough, could have taken that long route, in winter, and not have a scratch on them, well fed and strong.”

 

>><< 

 

After this revelation, Dean invited Gabriel to stay with his pack for as long as he liked, but the Angyal alpha explained he had to get back to his mate sooner rather than later. Kali was obviously just about to give birth to their firstborn. 

“Kali? I met her once. But she… she is an alpha!” Anna called out in surprise.

“So?” Gabriel looked at her with a raised eyebrow as if to say _you got any problems with that, girl?_ He stared directly at his niece until she looked away. It might have been the first time Castiel had seen him play the alpha card on anyone.

“That’s… great. Congratulations,” Anna mumbled.

“Unions between two alphas are not too uncommon here,” Sam explained softly, and Balthazar looked at Anna as if to say _told you so_.

“Does not mean I’m blind to a handsome beta like yourself.” Gabriel winked at Sam. “Who knows, in another life, you and I might have made quite a match.”

Sam’s eyes widened in disbelief at the alpha’s blunt flirting, and Dean made a gagging sound. Gabriel smirked at the brothers before he sobered up again.

“Even though I must hurry back home, I will take responsibility for my family.” Gabriel looked at Castiel, Anna, Balthazar and finally at Dean. “I invite those three to accompany me if they chose to. And I will make sure no one gets their hands on Castiel.”

“No,” Dean answered simply. “Castiel stays here.”

Castiel shot him an incredulous look. He _wanted_ to stay with the Winchesters, yes, but it would have been nice to be asked. Dean, however, did not notice his indignation as he kept looking at Gabriel.

“I won’t risk having him travel under these circumstances, and we both know he will be safer in Winchester than in Loki.”

Surprisingly, Gabriel did not argue, did not even seem insulted. And again, Castiel had to swallow down an irritated reply at the two alphas who were just deciding his fate like they might have talked about which dish to cook for dinner. The fact that, just this morning, he had assured Dean he did not want to leave, did not even consider starting a new life with his uncle, only made it mildly less infuriating.

Gabriel did not realise the omega’s inner turmoil and just turned to Anna with a question in his eyes. Castiel could see his sister hesitate – he assumed, if things were different, she would have accepted the offer to join her uncle. But not with Castiel in potential danger. She glanced at Dean, unsure whether she was still welcome in his pack.

“You are guests here, Anna. You are welcome to stay if you want to,” Dean affirmed her.

With a relieved sigh, she stated: “Then we will stay. At least for a little while longer.”

_We_ , Castiel noted. He was not surprised, but it still seemed funny to him that his old friend would now conform with his sister rather than him.

In the end, Gabriel decided he would stay for two more days, until his horses were well rested, and his rear did not hurt anymore – this statement earned him a raised eyebrow and a snicker from Sam and Dean.

 

>><< 

 

For the rest of the day, Castiel had been in a daze.

Uriel was after him. He had known it was a possibility that someone would come looking for him, but he had not truly expected it. He was just one omega and hardly worth the effort. If anything, he thought everyone would have assumed he was dead by now.

Was Zachariah’s pride hurt? Or did he want an omega mate so desperately?

Castiel remembered that the pack leader had no alpha children – maybe he was convinced only Castiel would bear him those.

And was Michael helping him or did the Adler alpha act on his own?

Dean had not left his side the whole day – and Castiel noticed how his own fear aggravated the alpha even more. Dean’s pose was alert, he looked ready to lunge out at any second – and like he expected he might need to.

Gabriel was seated at their table during dinner, as a guest of honour to the pack. The Angyal tried his best to exasperate everyone in close proximity with bad jokes or lewd remarks in Sam’s direction. The beta seemed horrified at the attention; Jess, however, was amused. Dean only rolled his eyes from time to time, but otherwise stayed calm. Castiel had been surprised at Dean’s nonchalance towards his uncle. After a while, he noticed Dean was just too concentrated on his omega to pay his uncle much attention.

Just as both Benny and Sam looked like they might strangle the Angyal alpha, Ellen started a conversation about a new trading agreement between Loki and Winchester. Jody, Charlie and Bobby supported her and together, they clogged any attempts of Gabriel to get a rise out of anyone. 

At night, when he lay next to Dean, Castiel suddenly blurted out: “Let’s get mated. Tomorrow. With Victor and Jo. And then you can claim me right afterwards.”

For minutes, Dean was very still behind him, and Castiel’s mouth went dry. Unfortunately, it was too dark to see the other man’s face. He had thought Dean might be… happy? So he was more than surprised when the alpha finally answered:

“Cas, no. We are not getting mated tomorrow.”

“But… I thought this is what you wanted? That you just waited for me to be ready?” Castiel turned around so they lay face-to-face, even though he still couldn’t see anything more than shadows.

“Yes, I do want it. But not yet. And definitely not because you are scared. You think I don’t know what you are trying to do here? But I will not let my wolf mark you just because you consider me the better option.”

Dean seemed almost furious with him for suggesting it, and Castiel felt guilty. He did not want the alpha to think he was just some sort of compromise.

“Dean, I… I want to spend my life with you. I want to grow old with you. I want us to raise children together. That is why I want you as a mate.”

Dean’s chest rumbled. “Good.” He pecked Castiel on the forehead. “But we are still not gonna bond tomorrow.”

“Why not?”

“Because we have not known each other long enough. And you are scared. Never make a decision out of fear.”

Castiel frowned. Dean was right, he supposed. But he could not help the feeling that he would be more at ease with a permanent mark on him. No one would want to drag him back and claim him then, they would probably just kill him for his defiance.

“I promise you, Castiel, nothing will happen to you. You live in a highly guarded castle. You will have an escort wherever you go. I’ll protect you, trust me. And not just me: There are plenty of people here who care for you. There is Meg and Sam, your sister as well as Balthazar are staying at least for a while longer – and even your uncle seems to be worried.”

“Hmph. You did not sound like you believed that when you talked to him today.”

“Because I honestly think he should have taken an interest in you sooner. You are his family, just as much as you are Michael’s. It would have been his duty to look after you.” A warm feeling pooled in Castiel’s stomach, knowing that Dean would always care about his family. “But he came today, which I am sure must have been quite _disagreeable_ with him. However, he could have just sent a messenger, but he rushed here himself to check in on you.”

“So you are saying you don’t think he is all bad?” Castiel could not help but tease.

“I think he is lazy and spoiled and too fixated on his own amusement to fully understand the needs of all his pack. But he is also smart and wilful – no matter how much he tries to hide it behind childish jests. And after today, I will even attribute him a certain degree of compassion. All in all, for an Angyal alpha, he is not so bad.”

“I was surprised he did hardly react to your courting.”

“I am Alpha, you are a member of my pack. And you stated you allowed me to court you. Not much he could do about it.” There was a smug tone in Dean’s voice.

“Now, get some sleep, handsome. I will be at your side and protect you.” Castiel closed his eyes and snuggled closer into the alpha’s chest, letting his words sooth his fear. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I will always keep you safe.”

 

>><< 

 

The next day, the mating ceremony of Victor and Jo was held. The couple had wanted to bond as soon as Dean had given his blessing to Victor weeks ago, but Ellen – and quite a few other shifters – had insisted it would be bad luck to mate during the longest days of winter. So, grudgingly, Jo had agreed to wait until a week after winter solstice.

Despite his fear of Uriel, Castiel was excited. He wanted to see how those ceremonies looked like in Winchester. Jo was basically family of the head alpha, so Castiel expected a great feast and long speeches as well as expensive outfits and formal rituals.

In the end, the celebration was quite different from the ones in Heavensgate.

He had asked Dean what was appropriate to wear for the occasion, but the alpha had just shrugged and answered with a disinterested _whatever you like_. Castiel had then turned to Meg; the woman had only frowned at him, however, and told him to wear _something nice_. From that, Castiel assumed he was expected to clean up a bit, but nothing specific. Just to be sure, he had asked Ellen as well since the beta was kind of an expert on topics of formality, but she seemed nearly as indifferent as Dean and Meg had been. Bright colours were common for such an occasion, she declared to Castiel’s surprise – in Heavesgate, unmated omegas were expected to dress in white

Castiel had decided to wear brown trousers and a bright blue tunic with artful embroideries. But when he saw Alfie at their appointed meeting place in front of the Council Hall – the young omega was just out of heat, but still smelled a bit sweeter than usual – Castiel’s jaw dropped. Alfie was wearing a mauve-coloured dress with a crest of purple flowers in his short hair.

“What?” Alfie said when he noticed his friend’s gaping. “Please tell me I just look too good for words. It is not often I get to dress up.”

“No, you look… beautiful. I just didn’t… was I supposed to wear a dress?”

He knew some packs had all their omegas wear dresses – Castiel himself had owned a few to get used to them in case his future mate expected it. Was that required for the occasion? He looked around in panic. There were lots of people gathering around, entering the Hall, and his gaze found Charlie – sure enough, the woman was wearing a green dress. For the first time Castiel saw her in anything but pants. Farkas, this was why he had asked Ellen. But maybe he should have considered she was the bride’s mother – she probably had other things on her mind than omega couture.

“I don’t know, did you want to?” Alfie looked at Castiel, expression between confused and a little bit of hurt.

“Not particularly, no.”

“Then you are all right. You look rather handsome, if I might say. There is just one thing missing.” He showed Castiel the crest of white Mistletoe he had in his hand before he set it on Castiel’s top. The taller man was glad it was not such a colourful ensemble as Alfie wore. “There, all pretty.”

Castiel looked around and saw lots of other people putting crests and crowns of flowers on their heads. Some were braided of different flowers and all colourful, others, like Castiel’s more modest. Charlie’s looked like a bird’s nest, it was an adorable mess, while Dorothy had only one twig of checkerberry in her hair. Castiel could not make out a pattern – alphas as well as omegas were wearing them, most of them young, but not all young shifters did.

“Is that required?”

“No, but it is an old tradition. Some do it, some don’t. The bridal pair usually wears flowers. It is considered a sign of fertility. I figured Dean might like to see you in one of those.” Alfie winked, and Castiel blushed. He wondered that even though by now Castiel was more experienced than the young man in front of him, he was still less comfortable with the subject.

The two omegas walked into the Hall and looked for a seat. Finally, Charlie had noticed the pair and waved at them to take a seat next to her. They sat down in the second row. At the front of the room, the grand table had been replaced by decorated chairs and cushions on the floor. Ellen and Bobby were already seated as well as Sam and Jess. Deana was nowhere to be seen. As Castiel looked around, he saw Crowley standing at the very back of the room, the toddler in his arms, ready to sneak out when the girl got bored. Or in other words: started screaming. Castiel could not help the smile on his face. The alpha always seemed so gruff, but he obviously had a soft spot for the little girl.

The benches filled quickly. Castiel could make out Balthazar and Anna somewhere in the back. He was happy that they had been invited – Victor and Jo seemed so far the closest to friends they had made in the pack, aside from Meg who winked at Castiel when he looked in her direction. The female alpha had been close to him the whole day – undoubtedly ordered by Dean to keep an eye on him.

Of course, the honoured guest of the pack was present as well: Castiel saw Gabriel in the first row of the left side, resembling a peacock in his colourful outfit with lots of feathers and embroideries. The impression only intensified since he was seated between Benny and Jody who both were strong supporters of practical clothes.

Castiel heard cheerful chimes and everyone raised from their seats. A bunch of children came running through the doors, waving little bells in their hands and looking adorable in their colourful tunics. The little ones danced around excitedly, the older ones tried to look graceful and strode through the corridor between the guests. They were still only halfway through the aisle when the young ones already danced around Ellen, Benny, Sam and Jess. After a subtle wave from Jess, they sat down on the pillows on the floor, still chiming their bells. There were chuckles all around since the small children were already seated while others were still stoically walking down the aisle in slow steps. At the very end were Alex – who seemed to enjoy her role and looked gorgeous in her dress – and Claire – who obviously thought something in the lines of _someone kill me now, please._

Castiel smiled at the children – he was remembered of Heavensgate. There, children would introduce the to-be-mated pair as well – but in slow strides, throwing flowers, not in such a disarray of dancing and chiming bells. Castiel liked this much better. And he enjoyed he was allowed a place amidst the other guests – not in a separate loge for unmated omega family members, basically hidden away.

Then finally, in came Dean, followed by Victor and Jo, walking down the aisle, hand in hand. Dean was dressed in dark leather and a red tunic. On his head rested a crown of checkerberry. The sight made Castiel smile. Victor was dressed in green while Jo wore a fabulous gown in lavender. The crown of flowers in her hair was beautiful, blossoms and leaves falling in braided chains over her long open hair.

When Dean turned to the crowd and opened the ceremony, he looked a bit uncomfortable – like there were about a thousand different things he’d rather be doing right now.

“Does Dean always officiate the mating ceremonies?” Castiel whispered to Charlie.

“Farkas, no. Anyone can do it. It is considered a great honour to be asked, though. But Dean really, _really_ hates it. So, eventually, people stopped asking him. But he could hardly get out of it with Jo. I guess she would have liked it to be her mom or Bobby just as well – but the opportunity to annoy Dean was too tempting. The last time Dean had to do it was with me and Dorothy, I think.” She chuckled, and Castiel thought Jo was not the only one who enjoyed teasing Dean from time to time.

Castiel did not know whether it was because of Dean’s lack of enthusiasm or if all mating ceremonies were this brief in the Winchester pack. But no one seemed surprised, so he assumed they never were as long as he was used to. He remembered one devastatingly boring mating of an alpha cousin where the blessings and speeches went on for over three hours. And that did not include the speeches during the feast.

But Dean only quickly addressed the happy couple, as well as the witnesses. It took a second for Castiel to realise _everyone_ was witnessing the bond – not just the small circle of people around Victor and Jo.

At one point, one of the kids let their bell fall to the floor with a chiming sound – most of the other children seemed to take this as their cue to start the music again and it took a while for Ellen and Sam to calm them down again. Alex was thrown into a fit of giggles while Claire just rolled her eyes like _why me_?

Then quickly, the pair recited the Winchester mating vows:

“On this day, I give you my heart and my hand. I promise I will run by your side, wherever the winds lead us. Until we run with Farkas into the Great Wild.”

Castiel frowned, the vow sounded strange to him – no talk about protecting or caring or obeying. Just running. But when he looked around, everyone seemed touched, Alfie even had tears running down his face.

Afterwards, Dean congratulated the happy mates, not without a joking threat in Victor’s direction. The other four adults at the front quickly gave them their blessings, Ellen with tears in her eyes and Sam smiling brightly. Bobby tried to bring a certain solemnity to it, and Jess threw every good wish at them she could think of.

 The couple turned around and kissed, cheers erupted from all sides while the children raised and danced around with their chiming bells.

The whole thing had hardly taken longer than fifteen minutes, leaving Castiel confused. This seemed oddly casual. And the rest of the day fitted into that scheme – there was a great banquet as well as musicians and dancing. But it was not stiff and with an ordered succession – it was loud and chaotic.

Castiel was flustered when Jo dragged him to the dance floor. He did not know how the Winchesters danced – and as an omega he should not dance at all. Or so he was taught. But Jo insisted that the bridal couple needed to dance with every single guest, otherwise it was considered bad luck. And how could you say not to that?

He saw Alfie dance gracefully with Victor and was mildly envious of his posture. Castiel himself felt like he bounced around like the children had, trying to mimic Jo’s movements as best as he could. No matter how stupid it must have looked, Castiel soon had a bright smile on his face. Until they changed partners – he was comfortable enough with Jo to look like a dork, but he did not know Victor that well. He should not have worried. The alpha had such a silly smile on his face, he probably did not notice anything but the fact that he was now bonded to the woman of his dreams.

After his dance with Victor, Castiel tried to sneak back to his table, but Dean stopped him with a smirk. The alpha just pulled him closer as the next song started. Everyone around clapped and cheered at the first notes, so Castiel assumed this dance was well liked. A second later, all Castiel could do was gripping Dean’s shoulders to not fall down since the whole crowd started to spin in quick circles. Castiel did not know how nobody got injured with the fast pace. When the music finally stopped again, he still held onto Dean, laughing loudly, his vision still blurry. He was reminded how, as a child, he would sometimes spread his arms and just spin around until he nearly fell to the ground.

“You look beautiful, Cas.” Dean pecked Castiel on the lips and cupped his cheek.

“Dean, good evening.” The couple were interrupted by Ishim, who turned towards the omega. “Castiel. Will you honour me with a dance?”

Castiel looked at the guard with surprise on his face. He had always assumed the man did not like him much, so despite his lack of dancing skills, he was pleased by the request.  But still, he was about to decline politely – alas, he did not get the chance.

“No, he won’t,” Dean answered curtly.

Castiel frowned; he did not like the final tone of the alpha. But the other man did not seem to mind. Quite the opposite, Castiel thought he detected a satisfied glint in his eyes as Ishim went on with a seemingly disappointed shrug.

Castiel glared at Dean. “You know, I can well decide for myself if I want to dance or not.”

“Oh, Cas, I know. But you should see yourself. Cheeks flushed, eyes wide, …” Dean’s voice dropped low and Castiel did not know whether to be turned on or angry any more.

He was about to chide the alpha further when he was distracted by a loud giggle next to him. As he looked up, he saw Alfie in the arms of Benny, overly happy and out of breath, while Benny’s crown of twigs – that Castiel was pretty sure the alpha had not worn before – had slid down over his eyes. Alfie reached out and straightened the attire.

“I thought you did not like the custom of putting dead leaves in your hair, old friend,” Dean teased Benny, and Castiel elbowed him with a stern look.

Benny looked to the ground, embarrassed, but before he could think of a plausible answer, a new voice joined their conversation.

“You Winchesters certainly know how to celebrate.”

Suddenly, Balthazar was between the two couples, looking out of breath himself. The music turned to something slower, and Balthazar looked at Castiel for one moment. He smirked as Dean still had his arms around the omega, then he turned to the other pair. Balthazar put on his most radiant smile and held his hand out to Alfie.

“Hello, beautiful, it hurts my heart we have not yet been introduced properly. I am Balthazar. May I tell you that you look – and smell – like a magical creature from the Wild I once encountered in a dream.”

Balthazar kissed the tips of Alfie’s fingers – and the omega giggled gleefully. Benny, however, growled. Full-on growled. Alfie’s eyes widened for a second, then a devilish smirk showed on his face.

“My name is Samandriel and I am very happy to meet you. Will you dance with me, Balthazar? I would sure like to hear more about this magical creature.”

The beta shot a glance at Benny, but he never had been able to resist a challenge, so he just pulled Alfie in his arms in a suave move. And Castiel knew well enough that Balthazar was an excellent dancer.

Benny watched them walk away with a deep frown. Castiel did as well – Alfie obviously enjoyed making the alpha jealous, but he wondered if this was the best way. Benny obviously did not think so as he stomped off.

“Idiots, both of them.” Dean seemingly read Castiel’s mind.

Then, the alpha kissed him and during a slow dance, he made Castiel’s previous anger dissipate completely.

Later that night, Castiel looked for his uncle, who, sure enough, sat next to Sam and seemingly talked his ear off. Castiel worried that he was still making advances at the beta, so he approached quickly to distract the drunk alpha.

As he came near, he heard him slur: “A dad, Sammy! How can I be a dad! I should not be anyone’s father. Now, Kali, she is great, she’ll do well. But me?

“And then I will do something horribly wrong, like feed them gin to keep them silent, and she’ll destroy me. I know she can. And she knows that I know she can. For all I know, she could easily kill all of us.” To Castiel’s surprise, Gabriel followed that statement with: “Gods, I love that woman so much. She is so… cold.”

Castiel silently stepped back, letting Sam handle his uncle.

After a day full of laughter and dancing and good food, Castiel was so happy, encircled in Dean’s embrace, that he even forgot to worry about Uriel anymore.

 


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter FIFTEEN

 

When Castiel woke up, he was surprised to find himself in wolf form, Dean draped around him, alternately grooming through his fur and gently rubbing his head over Castiel’s back.

It was not seldom that the alpha shifted in the morning, letting his wolf drink in Castiel’s scent before he needed to leave, but Castiel had never before changed form himself. And definitely not while he was asleep, without noticing. At the very least, the pain would have made it impossible to not wake up.

He turned around and exposed his belly – sure enough, Dean rubbed his nose up and down, until he had covered every part of Castiel and then pressed his muzzle against the omega’s neck. Castiel had learned by now that, as much as Dean enjoyed it, scent marking was an even greater necessity for their wolves. The omega purred as Dean continued to stroke all over him while he relished in the certainty that this worked both ways. As much as Castiel always had a trace of Dean’s scent around him, the alpha smelled a little bit of Castiel in turn.

After the wolf finally seemed satisfied with his work, Dean hopped off the bed, shifting mid-way. Castiel followed suit, and after just a few seconds, he was in human form as well. His training had really paid out – he could change form a lot faster now, and only a light sting remembered of his old agonizing pain.

“Good morning, handsome.” Dean smiled, leaned down and blew a kiss over the tip of his nose. Castiel turned fully towards the other man and let out a low hiss as he stretched on the bed. Dean frowned.

“That bad?”

Castiel shook his head no. “It surprised me, is all.”

Last night, Dean had shown off a very passionate side of him. Not that Castiel had complained at the time, but he could not deny feeling a bit sore now.

 “Should I call for a bath?” Dean still didn’t look happy.

It was not the first time they woke up like that. Anytime things had gotten quite steamy during the night, Dean all but fussed over Castiel the next day. It was sort of adorable – especially since Castiel liked both of the alpha’s sides, the caring one as much as the passionate.

“I am fine, Dean.”

“Then how about we have a little private dinner tonight?” It seemed like Dean still wanted to do something, anything, to make his almost-mate feel better.

“I am all for that.” Castiel smiled.

“I mean, I don’t want to close you off or something. We can…” Dean stopped, frowning.

“Dean. I would love to spend the evening with you.” Castiel’s tone was firm, almost like when he talked to yammering children.

Dean leaned down again, kissing Castiel. “I am still sorry for yesterday.”

“It’s all good, Dean. We talked about it. Just… calm down, all right?”

Dean grinned and kissed Castiel once more.

“Have fun with Alfie.”

Dean left the room, and Castiel fell back onto the soft mattress for another minute. He felt a little bit more exhausted than he wanted Dean to know. Last night, they had what Alfie would call make-up-sex. But as much as Castiel might have enjoyed their mating, he did not think it was particularly better than other times. Which only meant it was very satisfying. And Castiel could well do without the fighting beforehand.

It had started with a bagatelle. But Castiel’s irritation had grown for a while now – until he was so riled that the smallest disagreement could tick him off.

 

Long, uneventful weeks had passed since Gabriel had visited and warned them about Uriel sniffing around. And both Castiel and Dean had learned to live with the potential threat in their own ways.

At first, Castiel had been scared and on edge; and in response, Dean was short-tempered and barked at anyone glancing at Castiel the wrong way – or whatever he considered to be the wrong way. He hardly left the omega’s side, and when he did he was even more currish. Or so Castiel had been told. As much as he enjoyed his alpha’s company, however, he missed the gossiping with Alfie or the joking with Meg – without Dean listening in. He was also getting sick of being scared all the time.

And after a while, Castiel had calmed down. He lived inside the Castle walls of one of the most skilful warrior packs. He guessed he was as safe as he could possibly be. Besides, it had been weeks since Uriel had visited Loki – the Adlers had probably given up by now. Either because they had not been able to find Castiel and finally assumed he was dead – or maybe they did know he was with the Winchesters but didn’t dare to risk aggravating their pack. One omega hardly seemed worth the trouble.

It had been arduous to convince Dean that he needed to go back to his duties without worrying about Castiel constantly as much as Castiel needed to pick up his training again. And he wanted to go back to teaching occasionally as well as take classes from Bobby and Jess about interactions with the packs around. If he wanted to be the head alpha’s mate, he still had a lot to learn about trading agreements, peace treaties or simple gestures of respect. On top of that, he had started to regularly sit in the Council as a silent observer, studying pack politics and learning more about the duties of each high-ranking member.

By now, it was almost February, and the couple had found some sort of compromise. In other words, Dean had loosened his in-my-company-only-rules slightly: He was no longer glued to Castiel’s side, but a guard wolf was to follow Castiel around at all times. And he was to be accompanied by at least two alphas whenever he left the Castle to go into town. Leaving the town walls to any other parts of Winchester, however, was only allowed with Dean.

Castiel had never been too happy with that solution, but at least he was able to get back to his daily routine while Dean did not neglect any of his duties.

It was odd, how the things you loved about someone could be the exact same things that infuriated you. Take Balthazar – Castiel loved his sly humour and easy jokes but on some occasions, he could have snapped the beta’s neck for his stupid comments. And as much as Castiel loved Dean for his caring and protective streak – it could get overbearing.

Yesterday had been a wonderful early spring day – the kind that liked to trick you into believing there would soon be flowers all around; even though you knew better – it was only late January and there was probably more snow to endure. But the birds chirped, and the air smelled like a promise of warmth and amusement.

Alfie had asked Castiel to come with him to pick up snowdrops and search for crocuses in the forest outside of town. Castiel had looked forward to it – but Dean had said _no_. Just like that. Because he had no time to accompany them. Which was not the problem, Castiel knew Dean had a full schedule, but he simply refused to let Castiel go with anyone else. As they had argued about it, Benny had interrupted and proposed he would go with them and look after the omegas, additionally to Castiel’s daily guards. But Dean had still declined – earning incredulous looks from both Castiel and Benny.

Castiel might have been slightly appeased if Dean had then given an artful declaration of how he could never forgive himself if anything happened to him or how he loved him too much to put him at risk – but of course, that was not the way Dean talked.

Dean had just said _no_. With an unspoken _I know best_ to follow up his decision.

And Castiel had snapped. Right there in front of Benny and Alfie as well as Mirabel and Dorothy, his guards-of-the-day.

“You know, I am sick of this! I am sick of you making decisions for me and trying to lock me up! If I wanted to live in a cage and not be my own man, I could have simply stayed back with Michael.”

Dean flinched back like he had been slapped, and any other moment, Castiel would have felt bad about his abrupt accusations, but not right now. Right now, he did not care. The only thing that occupied his mind was how much he hated to be followed around the whole time, and he hated how condescending Dean could get when the alpha talked about his safety. Like Castiel could not differentiate between a long run through the woods or a little stroll just outside the town gates.

Dean looked torn between hurt and anger when he asked: “Is that what you think? That I am locking you up?”

“Yes! No, I mean… I don’t think you want to. But the result is the same.” Castiel took a deep breath, trying to calm down. “I want to go out, Dean. And I should be allowed to. I should not have to ask for your permission to do… anything. I can see you want to keep me safe, but I don’t want to sit around and wait anymore. I want to see if the crocuses bloom already, or chase after some squirrels.”

“But it is dangerous. With the Adlers… I thought we agreed…”

“No, we didn’t, Dean!” Castiel was back to yelling. “ _We_ didn’t agree on anything. _You_ said this was how it would go.”

At that, Dean looked offended, but Castiel was still too furious to assess whether or not he was being fair.

“I am not a child that needs you to make the right decision for them. I know I should not go out alone, I am not stupid or reckless. But neither do I need you to keep an eye on me all the time, assuming the brainless omega will place himself in danger elsewise.”

In the silence that followed his words, Castiel suddenly remembered they were not exactly having a private conversation. Everyone looked to the ground and apparently tried to make themselves invisible. Even Alfie did not seem to enjoy the drama.

Mirabel was the only one not completely paralysed as she spoke up: “This is not a bad thing, Castiel. I am sure our Alpha only wants to make sure his omega doesn’t do anything careless. And you should listen to him. Alphas know best when it comes to safety.”

She sounded like she wanted to help, but her words only fuelled Castiel’s anger. Even Dean looked at her with an irritated expression, but Castiel was too far gone to notice.

“Oh, of course! Alphas always know best! How stupid of me. I better just wait in the bedroom like a good omega until the _Alpha_ tells me what to do,” Castiel yelled out, then turned around and stomped off.

He was almost surprised that Dean did not hold him back, but he heard Alfie murmur through the reverberant corridor: “Wait. Let him cool off. Won’t make sense to talk to him right now.”

After his semi-public outburst, Castiel had pouted in his old room all afternoon and even refused to come down for dinner. But that was only partially because he was still angry at Dean. He also did not feel like meeting the crowd since he felt guilty. He had meant what he had said, sure, but after calming down, he admitted to himself there would have been better ways to inform Dean about his feelings than yelling at the alpha in front of some of his closest friends. And knowing Dorothy, the details of Castiel’s tirade would sure be known to everyone at their table by now.

He felt another pang of guilt at the thought of Dean sitting at dinner, analysing Castiel’s accusations of trying to lock him up. A small voice in his head chided himself for acting like a child and hiding in the bedroom. But it was too late now – he could not bring himself to walk into the already crowded room, all eyes glued to him. He shuddered. He should get back to being angry, that had been a lot easier.

There was a soft knock at the door and Castiel smiled gratefully when Alfie brought him a light supper. They ate together, mocking alphas and their know-best-attitude until Castiel even giggled about his own silly comparisons.

In a moment of sobriety, however, Alfie encouraged Castiel to sort things out with Dean quickly, emphasising that the alpha did only try to keep Castiel safe. No matter how insufferable he acted. The young man sympathised with Castiel’s feelings, but he urged him to talk to Dean.

“He is so smitten with you he will listen to your wishes, Cas.”

Just a few minutes after Alfie had left him alone – with a “go to him now. Never go to sleep angry” thrown over his shoulder –, Dean had knocked at Castiel’s door and apologised sheepishly for anytime he might have ignored his opinions or acted like he needed to make decisions for him. He looked so forlorn Castiel was feeling guilty again. He had followed the alpha to his room after both had apologised and explained their point of view to each other.

Somewhere during the night, they had rearranged the rules, together. They agreed that Castiel could now leave town without asking Dean for permission as long as he was accompanied by at least three alphas; but one of them had to be either Dean himself, Benny, Bobby, Victor or Sam. Castiel did not even try to remind him that Sam was technically not an alpha; he knew Dean trusted his brother more than anyone else, alpha strength or not.

Castiel thought their compromise was still a bit ridiculous, but at least Dean was slowly granting him more freedom. He even agreed they would talk about this again should the next couple of weeks prove to be as uneventful as the last ones.

After they had cleared the air, Dean had practically worshipped Castiel’s body with tender and patient touches, like he was afraid his omega might disappear with too much pressure. But the alpha had turned more passionate throughout the night, always gentle but sometimes growling almost possessively. Dean seemingly needed to be physically assured that nothing had changed between them. He had become fiercer, until finally, his knot had tied them together a third time that night, entangling their bodies for almost an hour.

 

Castiel stretched on the bed once more before he got up, letting Dean’s touches of last night run through his mind. As he felt himself become slick, he hurriedly put those thoughts aside and made his way to the washing utensils in the other room. With a bright smile on his face.

He felt relieved about the fight of the last day. It seemed to only have strengthened their relationship. Castiel was glad that he had addressed the things that had bugged him. And that they had been able to talk it out and even agreed on a compromise. He was oddly grateful that they had had a real quarrel before they would be mated – because now, he had a notion of how Dean would react in a fight. How they would carry on after some yelling. Castiel was not stupid, so he knew Dean would not suddenly turn into a docile love-sick puppy. But he hoped he would at least consult Castiel instead of making decisions for him, without even listening to the omega’s concerns.

With that in mind, the future in Winchester seemed bright once more.

The only thing Castiel missed was his sister. A week ago, she and Balthazar had set out to Loki. The Angyal pack alpha had previously sent a letter, asking after his niece and nephew as well as proposing a new trading agreement to Dean. Since they would need a negotiator to strengthen their collaboration, Dean had reluctantly asked Anna and Balthazar whether they wanted the job – since both sides knew and trusted the pair. The beta had nearly jumped with happiness. Castiel remembered how much Balthazar had always loved his old task – and how much he had feared he could not do much travelling in the future because of his injuries. But his leg had almost healed completely after Missouri’s attention and the right exercises, and though his hand was still crippled, he could run in wolf form almost as fast as he used to. Anna seemed to look forward to the new task as well. Castiel knew she struggled with her place in the Winchester pack. She was not unhappy per se, but she didn’t really know what to do with her time. This way, she could find a meaningful function. And since there had been no attacks on Castiel so far, she was ready to look out for her own future and not constantly worry for her brother. And who knew what the future would bring? Maybe she would find a new home in Loki, or maybe she would settle down in Winchester. Or she would just travel back and forth, acting as some sort of ambassador. Castiel still would have liked for his family to stay, but so far, Dean had not made an offer to welcome them as pack members – and Castiel was quite sure Anna would not have accepted.

When Castiel left the room after he had changed into fresh clothes, he was glad to see Meg standing by the door. He preferred her as his guard wolf to anyone else. To be fair, Dean mostly picked someone he knew Castiel liked and would not feel uncomfortable with. Although, sometimes the possibilities were slim; there had been that memorable day when Castiel had been followed by Crowley. Castiel might not fear the alpha anymore, but he could well live without his snarky remarks all day.  

Castiel shared his breakfast with Meg and afterwards he joined the students and taught literature. His guard leaning at a wall by the door.

After noon, he took another fighting lesson. He was quite proud with himself – he knew he was still not half as good as Jody, but he had learned to defend himself quite adequately and could feel how this influenced his confidence. Even Bobby had congratulated him on his progress, making Castiel blush.

After his classes, he and Alfie finally went out of town to look for the first flowers of spring – accompanied by Meg, Victor and Sam. Castiel thought this should have earned him additional points with Dean since he managed to not get one but two of his preferred wolves to accompany them.

He had thought about exchanging Meg for Cesar, but fortunately, Meg was not at all interested in Alfie. So he assumed even Dean would not have objected.

The omega would turn 21 in a week, and Castiel had observed with a mixture of amusement, confusion and repulsion how the behaviour of most unmated alphas and a large number of betas had slowly begun to change around the omega. Ever since their very first meeting, Alfie had gushed about this – that lots of alphas would try to win him over as soon as he was old enough to be courted, and eventually mate.

And he had been right about that. Alphas suddenly puffed out their chests and challenged each other about any stupid thing; they asked a hundred times whether Alfie needed something, or randomly told him about some ferocious prey they had once hunted down. Alfie seemed to enjoy the attention immensely, but Castiel knew he was more than a bit disappointed that Benny had not yet joined in. It was still obvious – even to most of the alphas – that Alfie wanted no one but him. Castiel had recently tried to convince his friend that maybe Benny was not the kind of alpha who would feel encouraged if Alfie kept flirting with others. Especially since he probably still thought himself too old and had persisted for years that Alfie should at least keep an open mind that there might be a better suitor.

In any case, Castiel knew that Dean was careful to avoid any situation where Alfie’s oncoming birthday could pose a problem. For example, he would never allow Castiel to spend time with Alfie and two unmated alphas – considering it too high a risk that the wolves would engage in a ridiculous brawl and forget about his duties to protect Castiel. He had no problem leaving the omegas in the company of Benny, though.

If Castiel was completely honest, he sometimes felt a tingle of jealousy at all the attention Alfie got. Coming from a pack where omegas were not held as dear as here, the thought that some alphas would stumble over their own feet to try and impress him was quite pleasing. Since he had arrived, however, most alphas had been very respectful but also somewhat reserved – if anything, they had tried to make it obvious how they were _not_ courting him. And in his bad moments, Castiel felt a bit miffed about it. But usually, he did not stay petty for longer than half a minute, knowing that he already had the perfect alpha trying to impress him.

Fortunately, as they headed out of town, there were no aggravating alphas around, and the group could enjoy a challenge-free sunbath. Alfie yelped as he saw a spot of primroses so early in the year, and Castiel and him soon rolled around the bed of flowers, their scent clinging to the wolves’ fur. Meg and Victor looked at each other like they were supervising a bunch of children, but Sam buried his nose in some snowdrops himself.

And just like Castiel had hoped, a couple of hours later, Dean was very appreciative of the mixed scents he was wearing.

 

>><< 

 

The next day, however, Castiel did not feel very adventurous. He hardly made it out of bed.

He was slightly aware of Dean getting up but could not bring himself to mumble out anything more coherent than “gmegh” before he fell asleep for another hour. He did not feel sick, precisely, just very, very tired.

When he finally exited Dean’s room, Ishim waited for him, leaning casually against the wall. Castiel tried to suppress a groan. This day really started badly. He did not like the guard, though he had no specific reason for his antipathy. After he had admitted to his Angyal heritage, for weeks, Castiel had felt observed by the alpha – and every time he had noticed his gaze, the omega’s hackles had raised. Just like Crowley in the beginning, Ishim had seemed reluctant to accept Castiel into the pack. The omega wanted to tell Dean about his suspicions, but he was afraid the alpha would just laugh at him. After all, he had nothing but his instincts to go by. And in any case, for the last weeks, Ishim had been overly friendly towards Castiel, as if trying to make up for his initial hesitation. Still, there was something about the man’s friendliness that Castiel did not trust.

As he taught some writing lesson to the younger pups, his mood did not improve. He felt impatient with a kid who confused a _b_ for a _d_ and snapped at one of his classmates for laughing at the boy. In the end, Garth had suggested that everyone should head out to enjoy the unusual warm weather.

Castiel felt guilty but also relieved.

After lunch, he had a fighting lesson with Jo – the only item on today’s agenda he looked forward to. His inexplicable aggravation was not as much of a problem here as it had been around a bunch of noisy kids. He even managed to throw a few well-aimed punches at Jo, and he felt more alert and pleasantly exhausted afterwards.

Since he was still not comfortable to be naked around other people, he walked a few steps away to change back to human form. When he came back, Jo had her back to him as she talked with his guard.

Ishim mumbled in a low tone: “He is quite good. I don’t know why the Alpha thinks otherwise. He doesn’t need a _babysitter_ following him around the whole time like Dean says.”

“What?” Castiel asked out loudly before thinking about it

“Oh, nothing.” Ishim looked to the ground, seemingly embarrassed Castiel had heard him. He held up his hands. “I just wanted to congratulate you on your progress.”

Castiel narrowed his eyes and turned to his friend.

“What did he mean, Jo? What did Dean say?”

The beta looked torn. She opened her mouth twice before finally answering: “Nothing bad, Cas. Dean thinks you are making great progress.”

“Tell me the truth. Did he say I needed a _babysitter_? Like a child?”

Jo did not answer, but that was enough information for Castiel.

Dean had told him he was doing great with his lessons. And Castiel had beamed at him since the alpha’s opinion in this area meant a lot to him. But now he learned he was considered no more than a helpless pup?

He felt tears well up in his eyes and shrieked back when Jo held out a hand to comfort him.

“Now, Cas, don’t be…”

“Furious! I am furious.” He interrupted the beta – because he hated how he always teared up when he was angry, making him look sad and pitiful while he just wanted to punch something. Right now, that something was a certain alpha.

“I am done for today. Thank you.”

Castiel turned around and fled inside the Castle. He hardly noticed Ishim, his _babysitter_ of the day, following him.

He was on his way to his old room, but mid-way, he changed his mind and walked to Dean’s quarters, halfway remembering how he had regretted it the last time he had hidden in his guest room. With a loud clunk, he shut the door in Ishim’s face.

Castiel paced the living room and tried to calm down. It was not like him to get so infuriated so quickly – he did not even know exactly what it was Dean might have said. But the word _babysitter_ just kept popping up in his head.

Unsurprisingly, less than half an hour later, there was a harsh knock at the door before Dean opened and walked up to Castiel with a grim expression.

“What happened, Cas? Jo said you are… unwell?”

Castiel scoffed.

“I am not unwell! I am angry!” He yelled.

Dean’s mouth twitched like the alpha had to fight a smile.

“All right, _angry_ it is. Care to tell me why? Since, last night, you seemed to be pretty happy with me and I have no idea what I could have done to aggravate you since.”

“Do you think I could handle myself in a fight?”

“What?” Dean looked confused at the change of subject.

“It’s a simple question! Do you think I am quite capable – like you have told me – or do you think I need a _babysitter_? Because that is what you said, isn’t it?”

“Cas, I… I am proud of your progress in self-defence, but that does not make you a trained fighter.” Dean talked slowly, overthinking every word beforehand. “Yes, you have some skills, but you have never been in a real fight. And I feel safer with a _guard_ following you around.” He sighed. “I thought we’ve talked this over, Cas. I don’t know why you are suddenly so angry.”

Dean slowly walked towards him and laid a palm to his cheek. “Tell me, Cas. What upset you so much?”

“I am not a pup. And I don’t need anyone to cuddle me.”

“No, you don’t. I know that.”

“And I certainly don’t need a babysitter! And to think you talk like that about me to other shifters…”

“I don’t, Cas. And I am sorry. I should not have used that phrase. You know me, I don’t usually think before I speak.” He pulled Castiel towards him and the omega breathed in the alpha’s scent. “This was a stupid thing to say, but if I remember correctly, I used that term weeks ago, right after Gabriel left. I was aggravated, and I did not think anything by it.” He nuzzled Castiel’s neck, kissing a sensitive spot. “And believe me, I know you are no child. Would feel pretty strange to do this to a pup.” He nibbled slightly at Castiel’s earlobe while the omega was leaning closer into him. “I only want to protect you, Cas. I cannot have anything happening to you. I love you.”

Castiel froze – then he made a sound between a laugh, a sniff and an angry huff.

He playfully hit Dean. “We were in the middle of a fight, Dean. You cannot drop something like that in a fight. It is unfair.”

“Well, all is fair in war and love, handsome. And I _love_ you.” The alpha said with a cheesy grin that had Castiel laugh despite his emotional turmoil.

Just as fast as the anger had gripped him before, Castiel felt now a whole set of butterflies dancing around in his stomach.

“I love you too, Dean,” Castiel said with a solemn expression – that was ruined as Dean exaggeratedly widened his eyes.

“Really?”

“Yes, really.” Castiel rolled his eyes.

“Don’t mind if I check, because just a minute ago, you were yelling at me.”

Castiel frowned. “I don’t know where that came from. I mean, I don’t like it when you treat me like a child, but…”

Dean leaned towards him again and breathed in deeply at his neck.

“Please don’t hit me again, Cas, because I am not trying to make it sound like I think omegas are emotionally unstable, but… could it be that you are starting a heat?” Another breath. “Because you do smell like you could be starting a heat.”

Castiel blinked a few times – the crankiness, the sleepiness, it all made sense.

“I might be. I have felt off all day.”

“Then how about you have a nice hot bath and then go to bed with a good book. I’ll send dinner up.” He pecked Castiel on the lips again, but Dean was suddenly a bit distanced. “I’ll sleep in your old room and check on you tomorrow morning. Then you can yell at me again if you want. And I’ll apologise again.”

Castiel frowned. “Why can’t you sleep here? I understand you won’t share my heat with me before we are bonded,” his tone suggested that it was entirely Dean’s fault that they were not already mated, “but I will not suddenly break out in heat in the middle of the night.”

“You can be a hundred percent sure of that?”

Castiel didn’t answer, and Dean chuckled.

“I’ll send Donna up to guard your door tonight. And I promise I will check on you tomorrow morning. And if you are still only in a pre-heat state, we could share breakfast and talk some more afterwards. Sounds like a plan?”

Castiel nodded, slightly appeased.

“I’ll ask Alfie to bring you dinner. Then maybe the rest of us don’t have to watch half the unmated alphas behave like complete idiots for even two nights in a row,” Dean chuckled.

After the alpha had left the room, Castiel heard him say: “I want you to stay here until you are relieved. I need a guard all night since I won’t be back until morning.”

Before Dean closed the door completely, Ishim looked at Castiel with pity, and the omega raised his chin.

Only afterwards did Castiel realise the older alpha must have thought that the couple had been fighting – and Dean left because might still be angry.

 

>><< 

 

Hours later, Castiel lay in bed but could not fall asleep. He missed Dean. It was strange how fast he had gotten used to having the alpha wrapped around him at night. And, quite frankly, he thought it was a stupid idea that Dean would stay away from him just at the – very slim – possibility that he would break out in heat during the night.

After a few more restless turns on the bed, he contemplated if he could just sneak into Dean’s bed, the alpha fast asleep, not noticing Castiel. Then he frowned. To be honest, he actually hoped Dean was just as miserable, unable to doze off. Suffering in a lonely bed.

Just as he contemplated to tiptoe through the cold corridors at night, Castiel was startled by loud bells. He hurried to the narrow window but could not make out what was going on, so he rushed to the living room instead. And finally, through one of the wider windows, he could see smoke rising in the clear air, somewhere near the storage huts. He heard commotion, urgent footsteps and yelling, outside as well as in the Castle. Castiel opened the door to the hallway to get more information.

There, waiting by his door, was Ishim. The alpha made a few steps in Castiel’s direction until he was basically looming over him, looking inexplicably dangerous.

“Castiel, get back inside. There is a fire next to the stables. The guards will take care of it.” There was a predatory look on his face when he added: “You should stay as far away from the danger as possible.”

In a daze, Castiel closed his door again, scared anyone might get hurt. Scared something might happen to Dean – he was sure the alpha had already rushed towards the fire.

But a moment later, Castiel was scared for a completely different reason.

As he looked out of the window again, it hit him: Ishim was still guarding his door. But Dean had told Castiel that he would send up Donna to look after him. Normally, this would not fluster him as much. But Dean thought Castiel was about to hit a heat. Which meant that there was no way that Dean would tolerate an alpha at his door. He would have sent an omega, or someone he trusted deeply.

But not Ishim.

Castiel felt panic rise inside him, and he hurried back to the bedroom. Listening to his instincts, he pulled a chair beneath the door handle. But he did not feel any safer – he felt trapped.

Before he could think about his next step – or contemplate he was probably overreacting – the door sprang open, and in jumped a big grey wolf Castiel had never seen before. But something about him looked familiar.

“Zachariah?” Castiel whispered in horror.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your kudos and comments - both make me very happy :-D


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since there are a lot of wolves in this chapter, most of the dialog is written in italics. I hope it is not too hard to read. :-/

Chapter SIXTEEN

 

Before Castiel could think about his next step – or contemplate he was probably overreacting – the door sprang open, and in jumped a big grey wolf he had never seen before. But something about him looked familiar.

“Zachariah?” Castiel whispered in horror.

The wolf bared his teeth in a horrible imitation of a grin.

Castiel yelled for help and a moment later, without really thinking about it, he shifted into wolf form. He was glad his instincts worked better than his mind since he would have had absolutely no chance against the alpha in human form. But when he was able to hear the voice of the other wolf in his head, he wanted to vomit just from the repulsive sound of it.

_Hello, Castiel. You have no idea how happy I am to see you. And for you to be so… unattached. I could not believe it when my spy told me, but you truly are still unmarked. Remarkable._ His filthy grin widened even more, making the alpha look like he was about to eat Castiel rather than smiling. _I guess you have been waiting for_ your alpha _to properly claim you after all._

_You are not my alpha,_ Castiel snarled out, baring his teeth in turn but without any hint of a smile.

_Of course I am. I captured you. In a fair claiming fight. Well, Uriel did it for me, but that’s just technicalities…_

_I am not a prize you can win_ , Castiel spat out. His mind was running wild. He decided to try and play for time, keep the alpha talking as long as possible. He was still in Dean’s quarters – whatever Zachariah had planned, smuggling Castiel out of the Castle would not be easy, even with help from inside the pack. And he had no doubt that this _spy_ Adler had been talking about was Ishim, and the alpha guard was probably not acting all alone.

_How did you find me?_ Castiel asked in an attempt to keep Zachariah abstracted.

_Well, it wasn’t that hard. Your brother thought you and that sister of yours had committed suicide by running off into the cold. But I knew better – the omega that will bear me strong alpha children would be quite resistant himself. So I send Uriel to look for you. To be honest, I was surprised you ended up here – I thought we would find you with your uncle._

“Zachariah! Stop fooling around. We don’t have time for that. Just claim him so we can get out of here.”

Castiel hunched back as Ishim was suddenly yelling through the door. The alpha could not have heard their exchange since he was still in human form, but things obviously took too long for him. Castiel could not see him, but from the sound of it, he was leaving the living room for the corridor again. Probably to look out in the hallway for possible opponents. He could have sworn he had also heard some muffled cries. But that knowledge wouldn’t help him now. Castiel swallowed and tried to only concentrate on the scene before him.

Zachariah narrowed his eyes and looked at Castiel with sudden suspicion. Castiel had hunched down and involuntarily moved towards the wall behind him. Just Ishim’s indication of Zachariah claiming him made him nauseous with fear.

_Ishim is right. We need to get going, but first, I need to mark you as mine. So everyone can see who you belong to._

_This is madness. You might have found a way in, but you will never get away with this. It would be best for you to leave me here and run as fast as you can._ Castiel tried to reason with the alpha in front of him. _Otherwise, Dean will kill you._

_No, he won’t. Ishim has prepared us a safe escape. We just need to hurry while everyone else is busy with the fire. And why should the Winchester care as soon as you are claimed? Once you wear my mark, he will not want you anymore. If he ever did. Since your neck is still all creamy white, he probably was never too interested anyway. And I heard you are not on the best of terms right now._ The smug tone in Zachariah’s voice made Castiel want to vomit.

_We just had a small disagreement. We are still going to get mated._ In Castiel’s mind, several pieces were falling together. Even though Ishim had been nice to him the last few weeks, when they had talked, Castiel and Dean had often been arguing afterwards. Small things mostly, but still. He also remembered a few unfortunate statements from Mirabel – a close friend of Ishim.

_Are you now? I don’t think you will once you are claimed by me. Now, obviously_ I _am not going to mate you anymore, tainted as you are_ , Zachariah sneered as he quickly looked at the wide bed, _but I will still have you deliver me healthy pups. Michael said I could do whatever I wanted if I found you._

_What?_ It was not like Castiel had expected Michael to defend his honour, but the obvious disinterest still hurt.

_Yes. You know, your uncle might have thought you were dead. But he was still very mad. No pretty little omega to help him form an alliance anymore. But I on the other hand… I am not interested in a war with Lucifer. I just need an omega to birth me strong alpha children. And once I claim you, you will come with your alpha. You are a healthy omega with pure blood – even if your body is stained now. You are the one who will secure my succession. The Adler pack will not be led by anyone but my alpha son._

As Zachariah talked, seemingly enjoying the sound of his own voice, a horrible truth hit Castiel.

_You are a complete lunatic._

Zachariah grinned in a way that had Castiel not in the least convinced of the opposite. He remembered that the alpha had already been mated multiple times – the fact that he still had no heir must have slowly driven him into madness. How could the alpha think this plan would work? No matter how many wolves he might have brought for back-up, they would never escape. But the alpha seemed to be sure of his plans.

And that just made him much more dangerous. In the end, it did not matter whether or not Zachariah managed to pull Castiel with him, away from the Winchesters. If the alpha claimed him now, Dean would never be able to. Dean’s wolf would reject him.

Castiel felt horror creep up on him. He howled to cry for help once more, but Zachariah only smirked.

_This will not help you, everyone only cares about the fire. And your guard… well, he is not really interested in your distress. But before he interrupts us again, we should…_

_What makes you think I will just come with you? Because I won’t._ Again, Castiel tried to deflect the alpha from his imminent plans.

Zachariah cackled, a hollow sound that echoed in the narrow room.

_Yes, you will. After I have marked you, you will follow your alpha. Where else would you go? And then there’s that feisty little omega outside. Ishim is currently holding a knife to her throat. I hear she was supposed to keep guard on you. An omega! Those Winchesters and their strange ways…_ Zachariah looked both amused and disgusted at the same time. _And she is also not claimed! I will probably give her to one of my fellow wolves. She might not be as young as one would hope, but she can still bear a litter of pups. As will you…_

Suddenly, Zachariah stopped his eerie laughter, and without another warning, the alpha lunged at Castiel, teeth bared.

Castiel was surprised at the sudden attack and just had enough time to duck and swiftly move away. He guessed the alpha was finally done with the talking, and Castiel only hoped he had gained enough time already.

Castiel watched Zachariah snarl angrily and tried not to roll over and present his stomach to the alpha like his instincts were telling him to do. The wolf before him was about twice his size – in all his training lessons, no one had ever seemed so tall to Castiel. He knew that, in fact, Dean’s wolf was bigger, but the pack leader had never appeared even half as dangerous to him. Not even when they first met, and Castiel had thought Dean had claimed him.

Before he could think about a way to win this uneven fight, Zachariah lunged at him again, and Castiel just barely moved out of the way. He knew he could not play this game forever. He had been taught to dodge attacks and then quickly run away. But his lessons had never taken place in a small bedroom with another opponent waiting behind the door.

Still, he tried to remember what Jody had taught him. He observed Zachariah’s moves as the alpha tried to slam into Castiel again. The omega was able to avoid the punch by jumping on the bed. His head was now at the same level as Zachariah’s. The alpha seemed somewhat surprised he had not yet managed to sink his teeth into Castiel’s neck. He had obviously expected the young man to grovel and wait for the alpha to just take him.

Castiel could see that Zachariah was not a skilled fighter – he was already breathing heavily after his misfortunate attacks –, and the omega knew first-hand that this pack leader preferred to let others fight for his causes. And he was well past his prime – but still, he was an alpha and much stronger than Castiel. His own advantage of quickness and agility could only help him so much – especially in the confinement of a bedroom.

Since there was no way of running, he tried to surprise the alpha. Zachariah would not expect him to defend himself so strongly, so he attacked from his current position. Castiel raised one paw and struck over Zachariah’s cheek, drawing blood. The alpha whined loudly, and Castiel tried to use the diversion to quickly jump over him and put as much space between them as possible.

But Zachariah was quick to recover. He pushed Castiel to the ground with one strong paw, scratching over his side. But before he could do more damage, the omega quickly snapped at one of the grey wolf’s legs, and with another yip, Zachariah loosened his grip so Castiel could crawl away. The omega knew he should hurt after the strong blow, but he could not feel any pain.

_You really want to aggravate your alpha like this?_ Zachariah snarled _. It will be joyful to tear into your neck._

Castiel breathed in deeply. Again, he had to fight the instinct to just bare his neck to the alpha. As much as the instinct to jump out of the window. But despite his fear, his mind stayed surprisingly alert.

Eventually, he would get caught. He had no place to run, and the alpha had hardly felt his attempts to hurt him so far. Castiel remembered a trick Donna had taught him once, and his heart started racing. This could either safe him or make everything so much worse. But he had made up his mind.

He swallowed down his fear and sent one last prayer to Farkas that Dean would come for him. Or Jody, or Meg. He would even be happy to see Crowley right now. Assuming the alpha was not a part of Zachariah’s scheme – but somehow Castiel doubted it. If only because he was sure, if Crowley wanted to see him gone, Castiel would be deep in Adler territory already.

Finally, Castiel crouched down to make himself appear as small and fragile as possible. He ducked his head in a perfect submissive posture, and then tipped it to the side, leaving his throat open to his opponent.

_There, I knew you would see reason eventually…_ Zachariah drawled.

_You don’t have to claim me now._ Castiel tried once more, his voice demure _. I will come with you. Maybe it would be better in quiet…_

_Yes, you are right. I would prefer to have time to mount you._ Castiel shivered at Zachariah’s words, torn between hope and repulsion. _But unfortunately, we don’t. I want to stake my claim before we leave Winchester. And since you look so delectable right now…_

Castiel was sure no one in the Winchester pack would have fallen for his submissive stance, not after he had just fought so hard – but Zachariah was not used to omegas fighting back, so he probably only thought Castiel had finally come to his senses.

The alpha slowly approached, and Castiel tried to concentrate that, whatever happened now, Dean would sure kill Zachariah in the near future. It was a strange sort of comfort, but it worked.

Castiel held still in his submissive pose and when he could finally feel the alpha’s reeking breath on his throat, the omega turned his head and sank his teeth into Zachariah’s neck. It was just one bite, purposeful and deep. Time seemed to have stopped.

Then, Castiel tasted the iron tang of blood on his tongue as Zachariah howled and shrank backwards. He threw a punch in Castiel’s direction and managed to cut him deep at the shoulder. There was a stream of red running down the alpha’s neck and Castiel was unable to move. He could only watch as Zachariah sank to the ground, still whining lowly.

A second later, Castiel yipped and shrank back as another wolf blasted into the room – there was no noise, just a whistling blow as the newcomer thumped into Zachariah. Castiel’s legs stumbled as he was sure Ishim had barged in to help the other alpha. It took a few seconds until Castiel realised the new wolf was the Winchester pack leader, and a few more until he comprehended what the alpha was doing.

Castiel was too much in shock to feel sick as the detached head of Zachariah eventually rolled towards his feet.

Everything around him went blurry.

 

>><< 

 

Castiel felt like he was slowly waking up – but at the same time, he did not think he had ever been truly unconscious.

_Castiel?_

The omega heard the voice in his head but was not able to make sense of it for a few seconds. Sam, he slowly registered. He had a feeling that the beta had tried to get his attention for quite a while now.

_Yes?_ Even that one word seemed hard to think of.

_Thank Farkas! Castiel, are you all right?_

Castiel looked around, trying to focus. Sometime in the last few minutes he must have moved to the back of the room. He felt the wall right behind him, bed in front of him. On the open side stood a growling sandy brown wolf with reddish and dark brown spots. Castiel felt like sitting in a trap. Again.

In the middle of the room still lay Zachariah’s head. The rest of the body was as far away from Castiel as possible in the smallish room.

_Castiel?_ Sam asked again, voice urgent. _Are you injured?_

_I… ahem… I don’t think so. I am fine, I guess. A few cuts maybe._

He did not really feel anything, so he looked down at his body to check for injuries – there were no obvious wounds other than the spots of blood on his shoulder. He tried to raise to his feet and winced as he felt a pang of pain in his back. He vaguely remembered how Zachariah had punched him down mid-air.

At his low whine, the wolf next to him turned around, and Castiel had to shudder. Only now did he fully realise that it was Dean. And for the first time, Castiel was scared of the alpha. Dean was huge and with the still raised hackles he seemed even bigger than usual; his eyes were completely gold without any hint of green shimmering underneath. He had his teeth bared and seemed to be growling without pause, though Castiel had an inkling the threatening pose was not directed at him. Of course, the fact that the wolf’s muzzle was dripping blood did not make him look any cuddlier.

_Good, that’s good_ , came Sam’s reply. He sounded truly relieved but did not say anything else. Suddenly Castiel thought it awkward that he was alone with Dean while he heard Sam from outside. He looked at Dean again and could not suppress another shudder. In response, Dean snarled and turned back to fixate the open doorway with his eyes again.

_Sam? Where are you? Can you… can you come in?_

There was a long enough pause for Castiel to start worrying.

_I’m just outside of the door, Cas. But I fear I can’t come in right now…_

_Why?_

Castiel could see movement by the open door and Sam’s brown head looked in – what followed was a loud snarl from Dean and the alpha pushed Castiel even tighter behind him until he was pressed against the wall.

_That’s why._

Castiel closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. He had never thought he would feel so nervous in the presence of Dean.

_What happened to Dean?_ He was almost too scared to ask.

_Alpha Rage, I would assume._ Sam said, all matter-of-fact. _He is not thinking clearly and will see anyone as a threat right now._

_Alpha Rage? But…_

Castiel had heard of it, of course. Everyone knew some scary stories about alphas in battle, snapping completely and letting their wolves overrule the human side. Castiel shuddered. In response, Dean snarled again. Castiel could smell how the sharp scent of his own fear increased in the air.

_Look, Cas, this is not as bad as it sounds. We just need you to calm down._

Castiel nearly let out a laugh. Now, that just sounded hilarious.

_Calm down? I am trapped in a small room with a beheaded wolf and a raging alpha._

_Yes, but Dean will never hurt you. You know this, right?_

Sam sounded so convinced, it made Castiel relax slowly. He nodded hesitantly. Then he remembered that Sam could not see him.

_I know, so… what can I do?_

_First of all, like I said, you need to calm down. I know it is hard, but as long as your fear is that strong, Dean will not even try to call his wolf back._

Castiel closed his eyes for another moment. He sank down again, trying to find a more comfortable position. It looked like he might have to stay here for a while. As he noticed the omega’s movement, Dean turned towards him again, observing his change of position and Castiel concentrated to make no sound of distress. As soon as he laid down, the alpha watched the door again.

Then, Castiel remembered something else.

_Look, Sam, I don’t know whether this is important or not, but maybe I should tell you… Dean thinks I am starting a heat._

Sam only groaned in response, and Castiel noticed how Dean had not reacted to anything they had said, like he didn’t even hear them.

_Dean?_ Castiel asked hesitantly.

The wolf’s ear twitched, but he did not react otherwise.

_Sam? Can’t he hear us?_

_I am not sure, to be honest. Maybe he can, but he does not think it important enough._

Castiel glanced at Dean again; he looked truly scary.

_Just remember, Cas. The only reason he is like that is to protect you. That is all he wants._

_Where is Ishim?_ Castiel asked, partly out of curiosity, and partly because he needed to concentrate on something else than a raging Dean for a few minutes.

_Dead, unfortunately._

_Unfortunately?_ Castiel almost yelled. _Sam, he was in on this! He helped Zachariah._

_Yes, we assumed as much, Cas. But … this will make it harder to find all the other culprits. He can hardly have acted on his own._

Castiel gulped. It was true. And to think that some of the pack helped him with no one ever finding out about it – he did not want to be suspicious of every wolf from now on.

_What about the fire?_

_Has been taken care of. Fortunately, it did not catch any other huts or the stables. So there are hardly any losses. Dean… Bobby made a remark about how he could not think of any other way than arson for the fire to have started – and then Dean sprinted towards the Castle as fast as I have ever seen him run._

Castiel almost smiled, thinking that, of course, his alpha would have come to his rescue.

_When I arrived, Ishim lay dead in the Hall, Donna still hitting his lifeless body, while Dean was here with you, already like this. By now, Benny and Meg have picked a few other wolves to help them clear the Castle and the whole territory for the traitors. And of course, the Adlers. Uriel and some more shifters need to lie in wait somewhere, to help Zachariah run off with you._

_He was crazy,_ Castiel mumbled automatically.

_I know, Cas. Must be to attack us._ There was a smile in Sam’s voice that probably only had the purpose to calm Castiel even more.

_No, I mean, he was truly insane._ Castiel insisted.

_Cas… he didn’t…_ Castiel could practically see Sam licking his lips. _Did he… did he claim you?_

Dean suddenly roared in rage, a clear sign that he was listening closely. The wolf turned around sharply and locked his gaze on Castiel’s neck.

_No. No he didn’t_. Castiel told both Sam and Dean. _I bit into his carotid before he had the chance._

Dean let out a rumbling sound that almost made Castiel believe he was proud of him. The alpha made a few steps towards the smaller wolf. He approached slowly, and Castiel felt relief wash over him at the realisation that Dean was trying to be considerate, afraid he might scare him.

_It is all right, Dean. Please, come here._

Dean slowly leaned down to Castiel and started to lick at the wound on his shoulder. It felt good, and even though there was still no hint of green in Dean’s eyes, Castiel relaxed. After a few moments, he tipped his head to the side to give Dean access to his neck. The alpha did not hesitate as he buried his nose in Castiel’s muzzle and started to lick and nip gently at his throat.

Castiel slowly turned around, opening his belly to the alpha in an attempt to appease him further. Dean eagerly rubbed his nose all over Castiel, checking for wounds as much as marking him with his scent.

_Cas,_ Dean grumbled finally, and Castiel was relieved to hear the gruff voice. Until Dean pulled back and looked down at Castiel. The alpha’s eyes widened, and he growled again.

Castiel looked down at himself and noticed that Dean had scattered spots of blood from his muzzle all over Castiel’s body.

The alpha turned around and snarled in the direction of Zachariah’s head again.

_Dean. Dean, please, look at me. It is all right. I am fine. It’s not my blood, we can wash it off later. Come back to me, please. I need you, Dean._

For a moment, Dean looked torn, but eventually, he came back to Castiel and laid down half on top of him, covering Castiel’s body, starting to lick over his bristled fur, combing gently with his teeth.

They lay like this for about half an hour, and Castiel’s heartbeat calmed down considerably. He bared his neck again and felt protected when Dean immediately leaned in. Castiel slowly realised that Dean seemed to relax as well; the alpha’s scent was not as outraged anymore, but he smelled protective and reassuring. As he leaned back slightly to look at Castiel, the omega noticed that Dean’s eyes showed green specks again. He sighed in relief.

_I am so sorry, Cas._ Dean finally said. _I should have… I promised you I would keep you safe. It is my damn job to keep you safe! And now? I almost got you… you almost… and in our bedroom…_

Dean lowered his head in shame, and now, for the first time since he had barged into the room, his scent reeked of fear.

_Dean, stop. Right now._ Castiel was surprised by the firmness of his voice. And so, it seemed, was the alpha as he looked at his omega in confusion. Castiel straightened up slightly and rubbed his head over Dean’s in an affirmative gesture. _You did keep me safe. You are here. And I am unharmed. You came just in time._

Dean huffed. _You had almost finished him. Didn’t need me to protect you._

_Yes, I do. I will always need you, Dean._ He licked over Dean’s ear. _Zachariah was not working alone. If you had not noticed it was a trap, then Ishim would probably have…_

Castiel suddenly stopped, not able or wanting to finish his line of thought. Now it was Dean’s turn to press Castiel’s head under his chin, pulling him close to his chest in a protective manner. The alpha growled lowly and Castiel was reminded that they were still alone in their bedroom with who knows how many shifters waiting outside for Dean to calm down and not attack them.

Castiel nudged his nose against Dean’s neck to drink in the scent and find out whether it would be safe for Sam to come in yet. As he drank in Dean’s scent – protective and strong and so, so perfect – he felt something wet and warm covering his hindlegs. Castiel yipped in surprise – he had suddenly leaked out a whole pool of slick. A sure sign that his heat was finally starting.

Castiel frowned at this new _inconvenience_. Even with his alpha fully pressed against him, he was not in the slightest aroused. After all, he had just been in a life-threatening situation, was hurting and still in the room with a wolf’s body and head – spread to two ends of the room. Not to mention the stench of blood around. But even though his mind was definitely not in the mood for mating – he could imagine a week of cuddling with his alpha however – his body obviously had other ideas.

Only half a second after Castiel had realised what was going on did Dean’s nostrils flare – but to Castiel’s surprise, his eyes turned almost completely green instead of gold. He had feared the wolf to be taken over by instinct, but Dean only whined loudly.

_Castiel?_ It was Sam again. Dean? _Are you both good?_

_Yes, Sam, we are fine. I just fear Dean had been right about me starting a heat._

Sam cursed, to Castiel’s astonishment. He had never heard the beta use foul language before.

_Look, Cas. I’ll send all alphas away. And I will send for Charlie. We should get you out of there, to somewhere quiet. How is Dean?_

Dean had not yet said anything to Sam, but as he looked at Castiel, he nodded.

_Better, I guess. I think we could try sending Charlie in._ Castiel looked at Dean. The alpha had stood upright and was not touching Castiel anymore. He seemed torn, wanting to stay close to his chosen mate while the rational part of him told him to leave the omega in heat alone. Castiel was glad that the alpha did not even slightly smell of arousal – obviously, mating was not the first thing on his mind right now either. And Castiel loved him a little bit more for that.

A few minutes later, they heard a new voice.

_Hey, Cas. How are things with the big bad wolf in there?_

Dean growled.

_Hush, Dean. She is here to help us._ He addressed Charlie. _I think you can come in now. Slowly._

First, only Charlie’s red head appeared at the door. This time, Dean made no sound; he just stepped between Castiel and the newcomer and observed Charlie’s movements closely.

As soon as the woman was completely in the room, Dean growled lowly and she stopped. The omega did not retreat however, and Dean did not seem too bothered by it.

Charlie looked around. Castiel could see the distaste on her face as she glanced briefly at the wolf’s head and the pool of blood around.

_Dean?_ She asked hesitantly.

Dean lifted his head in response.

_Can I… Can I look Castiel over? We should make sure he is ok._

Dean did not show he heard her, not moving one inch.

_Dean, it is all right. This is Charlie. You trust her. She just wants to make sure I have no wounds._

Dean slowly retreated to the side and made room, but still looked suspicious. Charlie slowly approached. She surprised both Castiel and Dean as she turned into human form and pulled a blanked from the bed to cover herself, probably more for Castiel’s benefit than herself.

She reached out one hand and patted Castiel over. Once or twice, the omega flinched – and Dean let out a whine. The alpha watched the two omegas closely but did not try to interfere.

“Dean, listen, we should get Castiel out of here. We need to get him some bandages and a hot bath. And you should not be around him while he is in heat.”

Dean ducked his head, and Castiel used the opportunity to change form as well. He knew his wounds would be easier treated in this shape. He held out a hand to the last remaining wolf in the room, and Dean nosed at him, whining lowly. Charlie handed Castiel another blanket.

“Sam has already sent hot water to your old room, and Missouri will look you over as soon as you are there.”

Slowly, Castiel stood and walked to the living room next door, Dean by his side.

“Gods, Cas. Thank Farkas you are all right.” A tall – and very naked – Sam pulled Castiel into a bear hug, but it did not take long for Dean to let out a snarling sound.

“Stop that, Dean. This is your brother. He was worried. For me _and_ you.”

Dean tipped his head to the side and looked like he wanted to say something – but Castiel would not understand him anyway.

“Look, Cas, we all want to know what happened in here exactly, but from what we saw and what you and Donna told us already, I think we have a pretty good idea. It can wait. You need to sleep now – preferably for the whole of next week. Go down with Charlie. She will look after you.”

Dean barked.

“You are not allowed in his room, Dean. You know that.”

Dean howled – whether it was an affirmation or objection, no one seemed to be sure. However, as Charlie and Castiel made their way towards Castiel’s old room, Dean did not leave his side one inch. And Castiel was grateful for it. They met a number of wolves in the corridor, some, like Garth, obviously wanted to check in on Castiel, or congratulate him, but Dean kept growling at them all – so in the end, they just made room for the group of three to walk through. Castiel could see a splash of blood on the floor – but neither Ishim nor Donna. Dean urged him on to move quickly through the corridors, rubbing his head over Castiel´s thigh occasionally.

But as the omegas entered the small guest room, Dean stayed at the door, not stepping over the threshold. Castiel could already smell the lavender in the prepared water and was torn between a hot bath – that sounded like paradise to his beaten body, not to mention the blood stains all over him – and Dean’s company. But the alpha sat down in the corridor, licked over Castiel’s hand once more and barked again. This time, Castiel clearly heard a _go on, I will be here_ in the sound.

Charlie closed the door softly, and Castiel felt tears run down his cheeks at the thought that he would probably not see the alpha for a whole week. With the first tears, Castiel felt the stress fall from him in waves; suddenly he was not able to stand upright anymore and sat down on the carpet. He felt Charlie holding him tightly, murmuring into his ear.

“It’s all right, Cas. You are safe now. Nothing will happen to you. Zachariah is dead, he can’t hurt you anymore.”

Castiel did not know how long they sat on the floor like this, but eventually, Charlie convinced him to lie down in the wooden tub. As he sank into the water, Castiel let out another sigh. Moments later, he twitched at the sound of a loud snarl at his door.

“Oh, don’t you growl at me, Alpha! You want your omega to be healthy, right? Then you better let me in.”

Castiel almost smiled at Missouri’s firm voice – and he felt a lot better just for knowing Dean was still keeping guard in the hallway. Then the door was opened, and Missouri quickly looked Castiel over. He felt reminded of the day when he had arrived in Winchester. He had enjoyed a bath in this very room before the healer had cared for him as well.

It seemed like an eternity away. Castiel felt like he had been another person. But he liked himself better now. Today, he had fought off an alpha, a pack alpha at that, and won. He would never bare his neck to anyone anymore. At least not without truly wanting to do so.

While Missouri was still embalming Castiel’s scratches, Alfie and Jess came hurrying into the room, carrying a tray with a teapot and cups. They put it on the bedside table and hugged Castiel tightly.

“Oh, Castiel. I am so relieved you are still in one piece,” Alfie cried out as he just kept his arms around Castiel.

The healer soon left the four omegas alone, insisting that Castiel needed sleep.

They all shifted into wolf form without talking about it. It just felt right. Then, they laid down on the bed, cuddling together. Castiel was in the middle, nose pressed to Alfie’s neck. Jess lay against his back, one paw protectively thrown over Castiel’s body while Charlie licked over his wounds. It was not the same as lying next to Dean, but it came very close. The omegas’ scent was calming to Castiel’s heat-induced mind. He felt loved and cared for. So much so that he didn’t even felt too embarrassed as slick kept running out of him. His friends did not seem to mind either.

Just a minute ago, Castiel had thought he would never be able to sleep again. But with the soft and warm blankets of fur around him, his mind just gave up. And before the first beams of sunlight entered the room, he was in a deep and blessedly dreamless slumber.

 


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a lot happens in this chapter (kind of) – but unfortunately, Castiel has to stay in his room the whole time. ;)

Chapter SEVENTEEN

 

In retrospect, Castiel was almost glad his heat hit fully just after his fight with Zachariah. At least it meant that he did not have to deal with any of the aftermath of the Adler intrusion right away. In his room, there were no curious looks nor any long interrogations. And since either Alfie, Charlie or Jess always kept him company, he was well enough informed about how the pack reacted to the attack. Especially Jess seemed to know almost everything that was going on in the Castle.

That first night, his friends had stayed with him, in one big pile of fur on his bed, and Castiel felt safe amidst the warm bodies and gentle touches. He would have preferred to snuggle up with Dean, sure, but this was a close second choice. Whenever he awoke, someone was licking his wounds or grooming his fur, and Castiel just fell back asleep again, knowing he was not alone. Knowing no one would try to ambush him again.

For the first two days, his friends had never left him alone. Slick kept leaking out of him, and Castiel knew from experience that by now he should have been overcome with lust a few times already, but somehow, he was still not in the mood. He suspected even if Dean were here, he would not be too interested in mating. Both his body and mind were still too stressed.

He felt exhausted and the heat just added to his sleepiness, but at the same time, he desperately wanted to know what was happening outside of his room. Where was Uriel? Who helped Ishim? How would Dean deal with the traitors? Castiel felt like he could not find peace and quiet before he had a few answers.

From what Alfie had told him, Dean was not staying at his door anymore. Castiel was a bit disappointed by that – and it might have been just another reason why he did not want to be left alone for longer than he needed to clean up every few hours. But on the other hand, he knew that Dean was Alpha, and there had just been a major attack on his pack. Castiel assumed it couldn’t be easy for him to leave Castiel’s door, and despite the shallow taste of his fear, the omega was kind of proud that Dean did not neglect his duties. No matter how much he wished the alpha stayed at his door without pause.

Luckily, since Dean had detected the attack while Zachariah and Ishim were still well inside the Castle, the rest solved itself quickly. Meg and Benny surrounded themselves with some of the strongest warriors to look for the other Adler wolves who had to be hiding somewhere on Winchester grounds, while Sam and Bobby led the investigation of any culprits inside the Winchester pack. At least the last part turned out to be easier than expected.

The first shifter they turned to was obviously Mirabel. And she was smart enough not to try and deny her collaboration. Or maybe, she was just really dumb.

The day after the attack, Charlie had stayed with Castiel in his room while Alfie and Jess gathered information for the omega. Castiel felt bad to inconvenience Jess any more than necessary, because the woman was now balancing a big belly and probably had enough worries on her mind without coddling Castiel. But when he tried to suggest she should lie down herself, she just waved him off.

In the afternoon, Alfie had rushed in to relieve Charlie. He told her she should get a nice bath and a good long sleep. But the woman hesitated.

“Is Dorothy back yet?” She asked with a little tremble in her voice.

“No, I am sorry. They are still out.” The two omegas shared a timid smile and a hopeful look. Dorothy had joined Benny’s team to look for Uriel last night, and both Charlie and Alfie were anxious to know more about the fate of their loved ones.

“I am sure they will be back soon. They are smart. They won’t attack if Zachariah brought too many wolves for them to handle.” Castiel tried to calm his friends, but they still looked doubtful. As soon as Castiel’s scent started to reek of distress, though, both rapidly agreed that they would sure return before dawn.

Castiel hoped so. He would never forgive himself if one single member of the Winchester pack would die because of the Adler attack. Because of him. It was bad enough that Donna had already been hurt. He tried to deviate the conversation from the search party, since it would not help anyone at the moment, and asked about his friend.

“How is Donna, Alfie? Did you see her?”

“Yes, I did. She seemingly had a little cuddlefest of her own last night – with Jody and the girls.” Alfie smiled. “She is well, Cas. She already helped catching the traitors and has hardly a scratch on her. Said the Adlers wanted her in one piece so she could be used as leverage and you would follow them without a fight. And, eventually, as a breeder for one of the pack.” At that, Alfie looked like he wanted to strangle someone.

“So?” Charlie asked excitedly. “Did they find them? Did they talk to Mirabel? Because I think…”

“Yes, yes. Everyone pointed at Mirabel. And you are right, she was in on this.” Alfie said like this was no news at all. Like Charlie and Castiel were not dying to know what the pack had found out.

“What? She confessed?” Castiel asked, tone disbelieving.

“Well, yes.” Alfie hesitated.

“What happened? Tell me!”

Suddenly, breathing felt hard to Castiel. It was like he could not get enough air in his lungs, no matter how deep he inhaled. Charlie sat down again and put an arm around his shoulders. Alfie kept looking at him with a doubtful expression.

“Cas… maybe you should lie down again. You know, get some sleep, or…”

“No! I need to know what happened. Please, Alfie, tell me. I cannot find any peace before I know no one in this Castle wants to see me hurt. Or worse.”

“All right. But it’s gonna be a bit gory.”

Castiel nodded, and, with a sigh, Alfie sat down on his other side, all three omegas now leaning against the headboard, cuddled together tightly on the narrow bed.

“Since Ishim was already dead, Mirabel was the obvious one to turn to. Sam… Sam brought her to Dean in the Council Hall this morning. It was an open meeting.” Alfie shivered. “Turned out, Mirabel was mostly concerned in saving her own hide. As soon as she was in front of Dean, she asked for the knife.”

Charlie scoffed, and Alfie gulped.

“You know, Cas, that alpha of yours is scary. He handed her the knife without another word, but… that face. All stony and menacing. Most of the wolves around him had their necks bared to not aggravate him and make him lunge at them, just for the sake of it. And believe me, he looked like he was ready to just kill someone, anyone. I wonder how he even managed to stay in human form.

“Anyway, Mirabel cut herself and offered to come completely clean. And she was _chatty_. She told how Ishim had been convinced that an Angyal should never be mated to our leader. How he was sure this was bad for the pack and that maybe Michael could even claim the pack for himself one day. If anything happened to Dean. He did not seem to think you were spying on us, but that bringing you here would end badly.”

Castiel frowned, scared of how many wolves might share this opinion.

“One day, when Ishim and Mirabel were out on guard duty together, they met Uriel near the border. Obviously, he had tried the same story with them as he had with Gabriel – that he had lost his way and wanted to rest. But since Ishim was warned to look out for him, he did not fall for it, but – to Mirabel’s utter surprise as she insisted – he directly disclosed that he knew where Castiel Angyal was hiding. As it turned out, Uriel already suspected you were with us since he had talked to the Roman pack before. According to Mirabel, the trio met with Zachariah the next day, and together, they planned to smuggle you out of Winchester.”

Alfie stroked over his own arms like he was suddenly cold.

“You know, I thought growling and snarling was frightening, but Dean remained completely quiet while Mirabel confessed. Only his jaw twitched from time to time – and that was _scary_.”

Castiel could imagine the scene. All shifters on edge, Dean hardly managing to hold his wolf back. Mirabel, thinking she was about to save herself. She could not be this stupid, could she? Castiel might not know everything about protocol in this pack, but he had seen Dean last night. And there was no way Mirabel had made it out of that Hall alive, knife or not.

“Mirabel even named everyone who was in on the scheme. She and Benjamin had started the fire while two more shifters made sure the escape way stayed open. Ishim and Zachariah were then supposed to meet with the rest of the Adler wolves at a certain clearing. Ishim had planned to get a few bruises, so he could return as some sort of hero, who had tried to save the precious omega but had had no chance against an army. He seemed to be really obsessed with the idea that you were a bad omen, Cas.” Alfie looked apologetically at his friend. “He thought with the help of Zachariah, we could get rid of the _Angyal_ – and you should have heard how Mirabel spat out that word even if she tried not to – and everything would be back to how it had been. Obviously, they did not think Dean would chase after you once you were outside of Winchester – since he has a whole pack to look after and it would be irresponsible to get all of us in a fight over one omega. Especially a claimed one. Which was just one of many false presumptions in that plan, if you ask me.”

Now it was Castiel’s turn to shiver. The scheme seemed simple enough, but at the same time, it could have worked. And Dean truly might not have hunted Zachariah down – Castiel was sure this decision would have not been easy, but maybe…

“Mirabel ended her confession with a proclamation of how she had been confused by Ishim and how sorry she was now. But Ishim was her superior in the guard, so she _had no other choice_.” In the end, Alfie mimicked Mirabel’s voice with a mocking exaggeration.

Charlie scoffed. “Yes, nice try. Dean is the pack leader. Doesn’t matter if Ishim was higher in ranks than her; her loyalty needs to lie with Dean. And his prospective mate.”

“I am pretty sure Dean would agree with you.”

There was a long pause; everyone waited for Alfie to continue his narration, but he just bit his bottom lip until it almost started to bleed.

“So? What happened then?” Charlie could not hold back any longer.

“Well, then Dean asked if she had truly told them everything she knew. When she confirmed it, Dean and Sam looked at each other and had one of their creepy silent conversations. Sam nodded – which I think _might_ have meant he believed she was not hiding anything anymore. Or that he agreed with Dean’s obvious response.” Alfie cleared his throat and his voice turned to a whisper. “Then, Dean… he lunged forwards and ripped out Mirabel’s throat.” Alfie shivered again. “I am not saying she did not deserve it, but --- that scene will give me nightmares for months to come. And I think she was actually surprised. I mean, like the knife or the confession would save her after all she had done. It is supposed to appease an alpha, yes – but it is no guarantee that you will stay unhurt.” He let out a loud breath. “I just would have preferred if Dean had done this in private.”

“No. He needed to do it in public. Make everyone see what happens when you try to commit treason.” Charlie looked as white as Alfie, but her voice sounded firm. “But I’ll admit, I am glad I wasn’t there.”

“At least the others were finished off in private.” Alfie took one of Castiel’s hands in his. “No one will hurt you anymore, Castiel. All traitors have been… taken care of. You don’t have to fear someone will turn on you again. And after what happened today, no one will dare to lay a finger on you in the future, let me tell you.”

Castiel was surprisingly calm. Briefly, he thought he should probably feel repulsed or scared or something of the kind. But he was only glad Ishim was dead, and he was glad Dean had killed Mirabel.

After they had sat together in silence for a while, Charlie left to her own room. She looked worried – and Castiel felt sick once more. He prayed all wolves would return safely. Alfie breathed in deeply and could probably smell Castiel’s guilt.

“What’s wrong, Cas? I thought you would feel relieved,”

“I just… I could never forgive myself if anything happened to Dorothy. Or Benny. Or Meg. Or any other wolf out there looking for the Adlers.”

“Forgive yourself? Castiel, this is not your fault.”

“But it is. If I had not run away, had not come here to hide from my family and my… my alpha – then all of this wouldn’t have happened.”

“First of all, Zachariah is not _your alpha_. Don’t ever call him that. From what I heard, you don’t need any alpha. And second – you could not have known that would happen. And even if you did… it is still not your fault. You did not ask anyone to come hunt you down, did you?”

Castiel ducked his head. “But Benny is still out there, because of me. And you are worried, I can smell it. Don’t you hate me a little bit for that?”

To Castiel’s surprise, Alfie chuckled.

“Cas, this is hardly the first time Benny has been in a dangerous situation. And it certainly won’t be the last. He is an alpha, the First Warrior of the pack – he will always run towards danger, that’s who he is. As much as Dean. I am convinced there will be many more days and nights when the two of us will sit on a bed, huddling together and trying not to think about what those two might be facing right now.”

Involuntarily, Castiel smiled. He liked the thought that he would not be alone with his worries – because Alfie was right: Dean would sure cause him some sleepless nights, voluntarily and other wise.

“You still are convinced you will bond with Benny.”

“Of course I am. One of us has to be. And I think I am making progress.”

“Oh?”

“Well, I took your advice and stopped flirting with anyone else. I mean, I still smile and stuff – I am a polite omega after all – but I don’t encourage anyone. I even told them I won’t be impressed by their fighting. Which, to be honest, was a total lie.” Alfie grinned wickedly. “But last night, Benny came to me. Before he left to hunt down Uriel. He knocked at my door and I yelled at him to leave me alone.”

Castiel raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

“That was _before_ I recognised it was him. You know, he was the fifth alpha to knock on my door after the fire started. To see if I was hurt.” Alfie, the very popular omega, rolled his eyes. “I was in my bed, for Farkas’ sake. How could the fire have hurt me there!

“But Benny had better reasons to seek me out. He told me about Zachariah’s attack and that you were safe. And he made me promise I would lock my door and only open it to someone I trusted.” Suddenly, Alfie hugged Castiel more tightly. “He wanted to make sure I was safe before he left. He even… He leaned towards me and rubbed a hand over my neck. He scent-marked me, Cas! Isn’t that great!” Just a second later, he pouted. “Unfortunately, as he stepped back again he did not look as happy as me. He looked shocked. And then he opened his mouth – I swear he was about to apologize. But I did not give him the chance. I thanked him with a gracious smile and closed the door before he could say anything stupid.”

Maybe it was the stress of the last 24 hours, but Castiel threw his head back and could not stop laughing for minutes. Alfie looked immensely pleased with himself, and Castiel hoped that Benny would finally start courting him openly. After all, Alfie would turn 21 in a week.  

 

>><< 

 

The next day, it was Jess who visited Castiel with news.

During the night and for most of the day, Alfie, Castiel and Charlie had been hurdled together on the small bed and tried not to fret too much. Castiel was still uncomfortably hot and slick – but he was much too anxious to feel arousal. Even though, during the night, he had dreamed about Dean – and for two hours after waking up, he had hardly been able to look his friends in the eyes, not sure what they might have witnessed while he was asleep.

He was still glad that both omegas had stayed with him, especially after Alfie had told him Dean was not guarding his door – presumably, it was too dangerous. Even though they had wet towels, drained in strong smelling herbal concoctions, laid around the small space, especially at the door, so Castiel’s scent would not leave the room.

While Charlie told Castiel how Dorothy had started courting her, Donna suddenly barged through the door.

“Dorothy is back! As well as Meg and Cole. They have Uriel with them.”

Without another word, Charlie got up and ran through the door.

“What about Benny?” Alfie yelled.

“I am sorry, dear. The rest of the wolves are not back yet. I am sure Jess will come as soon as possible to give you more information.” Donna was gone as quickly as she had barged in, leaving a couple of worrying omegas behind.

“You can go, you know.” Castiel said hesitantly.

“No, it is all right. I don’t want to leave you alone.”

Castiel felt like he should object, but he feared he might hyperventilate while he waited for news on Uriel.

It was nearly four hours later when Jess finally knocked at the door.

“Oh, what a day.” She had a tray with food in hands and put it on the small table. Even though they had hardly eaten all day, neither Alfie nor Castiel showed interest in the good-smelling dishes. Jess noticed both omegas looking at her with wide, scared eyes.

“So, first of all, no one is hurt.” She waited a second to let this sink in, and both Castiel and Alfie eventually let out a relieved sight. “Benny found the Adlers and he still watches them with most of his wolves until Dean decides what should happen to them. But Uriel, he was brought in.” Jess sat down on a chair while the two men held hands. “Apparently, it took so long to find them, because they were not near the town anymore, nor were they waiting at the appointed meeting space. They were almost on Roman territory already. Uriel seemed to have followed his own agenda. Benny had already found out most about it as he questioned Uriel in front of Zachariah’s warriors, and today, Crowley proved to be a clever interrogator. Seriously, he talks in circles and riddles until not even Uriel was sure what he had said anymore – and admitted his plans at last.

“In short: Uriel never believed that Zachariah would be able to manage to escape us. After Ishim had told the Adlers about his plan, he had tried to convince Zachariah to turn around and just go back home. Find another omega. He tried to make him see reason, that an attack like this was too dangerous, that we might come after him. Even if they managed to return home – stealing the intended mate of a head alpha is basically a declaration of war. And Uriel assumed – and rightly so, if I might add – that the Adlers were too small to be a threat to us. But he only told Zachariah in private of his fears, knowing that the head alpha would never see reason in front of his pack – not when they might think him a coward.”

Castiel frowned, he had not anticipated that Uriel would try to talk Zachariah out of his plans. He thought he was the predominant force behind it.

“But before you feel bad about Uriel – don’t. He had his own agenda and tried to utilise Zachariah’s delusions for his own benefit. He was sure Ishim would fail to bring either Zachariah or you out of the castle unnoticed – but that only played into his hands. Just before Zachariah had started towards the Castle, he made some sort of declaration that Uriel was his most trusted warrior. And Uriel had planned to take advantage of that. He wanted to take the pack for his own. He told his fellow warriors a different time and place to meet up with Zachariah, sure that Dean would kill him anyway after he had claimed you. When the alpha did not show up, Uriel had his fighters retreat towards Adler land under his command. And they had followed. Uriel did not seem to have a great opinion of his late Alpha, especially not after you had run away, Cas. From what we could make out, Zachariah was so far gone in his madness, he did not even consider something might go wrong. He just wanted his omega. And Uriel was all right with that – as long as he had the pack. He even encouraged him in the end, just to put him away.”

Castiel took a deep breath. He had already wondered how Uriel could believe they would make it out of the territory. But of course, with a considerable head-start, he might have managed it. And gained a new pack on top.

“Cas, Dean wanted me to ask you something…” Castiel looked up in surprise. Jess took his hands and squeezed them. Then she leaned forwards, trying to scent him, to figure out how he felt. “Uriel is dead already. Dean did not seem in the mood to drag things out today. But with Uriel and Zachariah gone, there are still the others. The Adler warriors waiting in the forests, about a dozen of them. Dean wanted me to ask you what should happen to them.”

“Ask _me_?”

“Yes, you. See, we – that is, Dean and the Council – agreed that we let them retreat back home. They are just soldiers, following orders of their pack leaders, and to be honest, the Adler pack will be in disarray as it is – with no Alpha. But Dean does not want to let them go if you disagree. So, this is your choice.”

“You would just let them go?”

“Yes. Like I said, they were just following their Alpha. And he is dead now – as well as his second-in-command and the traitors inside our pack. But if you feel like you need revenge… I am sure Dean will not hesitate to slay down every Adler wolf personally.”

Castiel gulped at the image in his head – Dean amidst a massacre.

“No.” He whispered. Then he cleared his throat and added more firmly. “I don’t want them dead. Let them retreat. There has been enough bloodshed.”

“Good, then I will pass it on.” Jess looked relieved.

She left, and Castiel suddenly felt Alfie hugging him tightly. It took a while until he figured out he had started crying. Then he sobbed loudly, feeling the tautness leaving his body. Sometime, he fell asleep.

 

>><< 

 

On the third day, Castiel’s heat hit fully. He awoke with a loud moan – then he looked embarrassed at Alfie who was still lying next to him. Castiel felt the wet patch on the mattress, and there was a yearning in his stomach that almost hurt. His hands twitched, wanting to wander down his body, but he could not do so while a sleeping Alfie lay next to him.

Fortunately, the young man soon woke up, his nose twitching before he even opened his eyes. It took a moment, but in the end, he looked at Castiel with a wide smile.

“Thank Farkas! I was already starting to worry about you.”

“Huh?”

“You are in heat, Cas. It was time you felt like it.” Alfie leaned forwards and pecked Castiel on the cheek. “I will be back with breakfast in two hours.”

As soon as the door closed behind Alfie, Castiel pushed three fingers in his hole. Soon, he moaned out wantonly and finished with the image of Dean in his mind.

After he caught his breath again, he undressed and washed himself from head to toe before he put on clean clothes. When Alfie returned, he was glad to see him being followed by a servant who changed the sheets and set a new pot of warm water on the dresser.

When the omegas sat down on the bed again, Castiel noticed the bright smile on Alfie’s face. The young man had a basket in his hands.

“What? Did you see Benny?”

“No, not yet. But I heard he came back early this morning.” Alfie had not stopped grinning. “I have gifts for you.” He handed Castiel two --- pieces of wood. “They are clean, I promise.”

Castiel took the two objects in his hands and looked at them – after a moment, his face turned beet red. They were both in a phallic shape of different sizes – the bigger one even had a big bulge at one end. Castiel could guess what they were meant for – especially after Alfie added: “They help, really. Better than just your fingers.”

Castiel stared at his fellow omega – he knew he should probably thank him but could not bring himself to do so. Alfie did not seem to mind, he just kept grinning.

“And here, I have the true price.” He reached for the basked again, and the next moment, Castiel felt dizzy from the wonderful smell in the air. Alfie handed him a blanket, and a shirt. It only took one more breath for Castiel to figure out who they belonged to. He grabbed the shirt and pulled it to his face. The scent almost made him delirious and he felt slick already running out of his cleft again.

“You stole this from Dean?”

“Of course not! I would never steal from the head alpha. I asked him.” Castiel looked at Alfie with wide eyes. “I even told him he should run around a bit before he gave me the shirt.” Castiel just kept blinking. “Where are your manners, Cas? This is the time to thank me.”

“Thank you,” Castiel replied automatically. He just hoped Alfie would not expect him to ever approach Benny for such a request. He breathed in again, and almost whined out: “I just don’t know why Dean does not come to me in person. Everyone knows we want to mate. And I have just lived through a traumatic experience.” Suddenly, Castiel got angry. “I am sure he could bend the rules a little. Who would object? He is Alpha.”

Alfie let out a chuckle. “And that just means he needs to abide to the rules more strictly than anyone else. His orders would not be worth much if not even the Alpha would live by them.”

Castiel frowned. He knew Alfie was right, but at the moment, he did not care. “Like you would not have liked Benny to visit you during your heat.”

“Oh, sure I would have. But afterwards I would have been angry with him. Those rules are there for a reason. For example, I don’t want to get pregnant yet. And since an omega cannot always think too clearly while in heat, the alpha must. It is the only occasion when their minds might work better than ours – as long as they stay away and don’t start a rut.”

“Hmph.” Was all Castiel said to that – and Alfie chuckled again.

Most of the afternoon Castiel spent alone in his room with his new toys. He had been embarrassed at first, almost scared to try them out. But in the end, Alfie was right. They were better than his fingers.

Charlie came in with a tray of food and the promise to stay with him overnight.

“Who is guarding the door tonight?” Castiel asked without honest interest – as long as the answer wasn’t _Dean_ , he did not care.

“Ahem… Jody.”

“Jody? Wasn’t she there last night?” Now, Castiel perked up.

“Was she? Oh, then maybe she will be relieved by Sam later…”

Castiel looked suspiciously at a blushing Charlie but did not say anything.

 

>><< 

 

After a week, Castiel longed for the end of his heat. The last days had been exhausting. First, his heat had started right after a life-threatening attack. While Dean had been in a Rage and hardly managed to calm down enough before Castiel had to be put in quarantine. Then he had to deal with the aftermath of his attack and waited desperately for information. And while he was hidden away, Dean had killed half a dozen wolves. Not to mention the last few days, when Castiel had been constantly dazed – he had never suffered through a heat like that. He was frequently overwhelmed with lust, almost like the alphas in Heavensgate had proclaimed all omegas behaved during heat. Castiel thought his strong reaction might have something to do with the fact that his wolf had now chosen a mate. A mate who was painfully absent.

But on the eighth day, he finally awoke without the pain in his stomach nor the hotness on his forehead. He opened his eyes and saw in the light of dawn that Alfie was already examining him. The younger man then breathed in deeply at his neck.

“Congratulations. You have survived.” He smiled softly. “Now tell me I am your best friend.”

Castiel only raised an eyebrow.

“Because if you do, I will get Dean for you. Right now.”

Castiel raised to his elbows. Just the mention of Dean had him think he might not be completely out of heat yet. “What?”

“Say it, Cas.”

“Alfie!”

“All right, all right. I’ll get him anyway.”

Alfie walked to the door, yawning theatrically, pushed the handle down and said: “He is all yours, Alpha.”

Castiel had hardly turned around on the bed when Dean was already in the room. Alfie closed the door behind himself, and Castiel let out a moan. Dean looked more handsome than he remembered. He was completely naked which suggested he must have been in wolf form just moments before. The alpha opened his mouth to say something, but then his nostrils flared and his eyes appeared to be completely black in the dim light of early sunrise. Castiel knew the room smelled like slick and heat, and the alpha seemed to be highly affected by it.

Before Dean could make another attempt at speech, Castiel pulled the light cotton trousers, the only clothes he was wearing, down and turned around. He raised to his hands and knees and presented to Dean in a traditional pose.

“Alpha,” Castiel moaned out in a pleading tone he sure would deny afterwards.

“Gods, Castiel, are you sure your heat is over?” Dean had not moved one inch, still standing by the door.

“Yes, I am sure. Alpha.”

“I don’t know, you seem unusually… needy. And it still smells.. it smells like… heaven,” Dean growled out.

“It smells like heat, Dean. Obviously. I have been here for a week. There is slick everywhere. And I _am_ needy. I have fantasized about you for a whole week but could not even see you. I want you now, Alpha.” Castiel could not decide whether he should _yell_ at Dean or _beg_ him to come closer. He just knew he needed the alpha to touch him.

Dean groaned. “We should probably talk about a bunch of things first.”

“Later,” Castiel growled out. He let his head sink down on his arms, arching his back so his ass was clearly on view. “First, I want your knot.”

The alpha still hesitated, and Castiel cursed his stubbornness. From what he had heard, Dean should not even be able to hold back – not while the room still smelled so much like _fertile omega in heat_.

“Alfie would not have called you in if I was still in heat.”

That seemed to convince Dean. He slowly approached and stroked a hand over Castiel’s backside. “I have missed you, handsome.”

Castiel purred. As Dean ran a hand over his back, he let out a small whine, overwhelmed by the wonderful feeling of Dean’s touch. Slick was running down his thighs by now, and Castiel assumed he looked like every stereotype of a desperate omega in heat. He halfway expected Dean to push into him immediately, but the alpha did not rush anything. One hand massaged over Castiel’s ass and as two fingers were slowly pushed into him, the omega moved back, trying to get Dean to move faster. He whined when Dean pulled out again, still standing next to the bed.

“Turn around, Cas.”

Castiel was surprised at the request, but he obliged nonetheless. He turned around and lied down on his back, legs spread wide.

“I have not seen you in a week, handsome. I want to be able to look at you when you fall apart.”

Castiel moaned again, just from that statement, not even able to feel embarrassed of his reactions anymore. Dean slowly crawled on top of him to claim his lips, and Castiel felt a shiver run down his spine as the alpha possessively entered his mouth.  Castiel could hardly do anything, he felt delirious and just lay back while Dean slowly nipped down his throat and then sucked at his nipples. It felt wonderful – but after a week with two wooden sticks, it was just not what Castiel craved most.

“Dean, please, I need you.”

Suddenly, Dean lifted Castiel’s legs and threw them over his shoulders. Castiel’s hole was now above the bed, easy for Dean to access. Just as Castiel hoped he would now finally feel the thick cock filling him, Dean pushed three fingers into him again.

Castiel groaned. He was not in the mood for slow and careful.

“That not enough, Castiel? Hm? You want something bigger?”

“Dean!” Castiel yelled as Dean rubbed over the sensitive bundle of nerves inside of him.

“Oh? Maybe my fingers are good enough after all?” He asked with a smug smile and rubbed over that spot again.

“No, Dean, please, I want your knot.” Castiel was starting to fear Dean would make him come like that. That was not what he wanted.

“You want me to fill you up? Want my big knot tie you to me?”

“Yes. Alpha.”

“Is that what you have dreamed about during the last week?” Castiel nodded vehemently while Dean’s finger kept pushing into him in a slow rhythm. “Did you think about me the whole time?” He stopped his movements momentarily, then growled: “Or maybe you thought about some other alphas as well.”

“No, Dean. You, only you. My alpha.” Castiel shook his head wildly while his hips tried to thrust down on Dean’s fingers again.

“Good.” Dean nipped roughly at Castiel’s throat, then his fingers started moving again. “Maybe you could tell me about those dreams someday.”

Castiel just moaned.

“Promise me, Cas? Promise me you will tell me what you have been thinking about those last few days. While you have pleasured yourself. I would like to know every single detail about what I have done to you.”

Castiel nodded, hardly realising what he was agreeing to. He would blush a different shade of red had he known what Dean asked of him.

“I can hardly wait.” Without another warning, Dean pulled his fingers out, but before Castiel could even form a whine, the alpha pushed his hard cock into him.

What followed was rough and fast. Neither man was in the mood for a slow pace, and it did not take long for Castiel to shoot out across Dean’s chest. Just a few thrusts later, Dean’s knot formed and tied the two men together.

Dean did not roll off Castiel as he usually would but held himself up to not crush the omega while he still covered him with his body. He had his nose buried at the crook of Castiel’s neck, drinking in his scent. And Castiel felt good with Dean’s weight on top of him. After days apart, both men were happy to just be able to scent and touch each other again. They stayed locked together for over an hour, neither man saying a word. Castiel had even dozed off again. After his knot had come down, Dean finally shifted their position until he was on his back and Castiel rested his head on the alpha’s chest.

“How are you feeling?” It was a rare question, coming from Dean.

“Good. I feel really good.” Castiel licked over the nipple close to his face.

Dean chuckled but sobered up quickly. “I am sorry I could not be there for you the last couple of days.”

Castiel sighed. “Nothing you could do. And I heard you have been busy. With Mirabel, and Uriel.”

Dean tightened his arms around Castiel. “I am so sorry you had to go through all this.”

“Me too. But it is not your fault, so stop apologising.”

“You know, I am really proud of you. How you stood your own against Zachariah. I guess I have underestimated you.” Dean let his fingers stroke over Castiel’s shoulder and the other man basked both in the touch as well as the words.

“Did you now?”

“You really don’t seem like you need a babysitter. Or a big alpha to protect you.”

“But I might need an alpha for other things.” Castiel playfully rubbed his crotch over Dean’s hip.

The alpha laughed. “That is not how I anticipated our first time after the attack, just to make this clear. I wanted to caress every spot on your body and take care of you.”

“You took care of me just fine.” Castiel scratched his teeth over the same nipple and hummed when Dean breathed in sharply.

“Seriously, though, the tale about how you dealt with that alpha has quickly spread. And of course, that, after you took care of Zachariah, you were still quick-witted enough to deal with an alpha in Rage. And all that in heat. Our grandchildren will still hear about this, I am sure.”

Castiel snuggled closer to Dean, if that was even possible. “I am just glad it is all over.”

“Me too.” Castiel felt a soft kiss to his forehead. “And that I can wrap you in my arms again. I thought that heat of yours would never end.”

Castiel frowned. “About that… you have been here pretty quickly. Almost like you had been waiting at the door.”

Dean looked sheepish. “Well, technically, I have been. I slept outside your room every night. Hardly could stay away during daytime.”

“But I thought… Alfie said…”

“Alfie thought it might be a bad idea if we told you I was outside your door. Just in case you got any wild ideas while you were alone. And I have to admit I am not sure I would have been able to resist you if you tried to invite me in.” He breathed in deeply. “Not if you smell like that during a heat.”

“Huh,” Castiel only said, not sure whether he should be angry or grateful.

Dean tried to deflect him quickly. “I am glad you can leave your room again. Not only for my sake, but there is someone else who really needs to talk to you.”

“Who?”

“Claire.” Castiel had not expected that name. Much less the deep frown on Dean’s face. “Neither Jody nor I have been able to calm her down.”

 

>><< 

 

 

A few hours later, after they had cleaned the last bit of slick from Castiel’s body, the couple arrived in the Hall together. Dean did not leave his side, and Castiel was sure he did not want him in close proximity with alphas while he still smelled slightly of heat. Castiel did not mind at all – he was glad he did not have to face any pack members on his own after he had been hiding for a week. And as it turned out, with Dean by his side, no one approached him anyway. Only Crowley, late at breakfast as usual, patted him on the shoulder and congratulated him on his devious trickery.

Castiel looked at the alpha with a frown, not sure what to make of the comment, and Crowley grumbled “Just take the compliment, boy” before he went his way.

Afterwards, Dean brought Castiel to Claire. They met the girl in the quarters Jody shared with her adopted daughters. Dean left the two alone, and Castiel looked at Claire questioningly. Dean had not told him what was going on, and he was surprised to see the girl looking so --- fragile. She always appeared so fierce, it was easy to forget how young she still was. Not to mention, the last times they had met, Claire had seemed ready to lunge at him. But not today. Dean had told him that it was Claire who had asked to see Castiel, but now, she did not say a word. Castiel cleared his throat.

“So… Dean said you wanted to talk to me.”

“I wanted to apologise, Castiel,” Claire blurted out, almost stumbling over the words. The omega raised an eyebrow in query. “I have been horrible to you. And I am sorry.”

Castiel wanted to say something, but Claire interrupted him with a hand gesture.

“I never trusted Angyals. My parents… their life was ruined by them. And I never forgave them. I always had this… rage in me.” Castiel only nodded, not sure whether he should have demonstrated he knew more about her story. “But that has nothing to do with you. And I should not have blamed you for something that was not your fault.”

“Claire.” Castiel was still not sure what had her so agitated. “Thank you for your apology, but it is not necessa…”

“You don’t understand, Castiel! What happened to you – I could have prevented it.”

“What?” Castiel stepped backwards, surprised by the statement.

“I should have seen it… And now you nearly got claimed! You and Dean nearly suffered the same horrible fate as my parents. And Donna was hurt! I should thank the gods no one else was injured.”

“Slow down, Claire.” Castiel took her arms and led the girl towards the next bench. They sat down together, and Castiel studied her with a frown. Whatever Claire thought she had done wrong, he was sure it was not that bad. Dean would not have left him alone with the young alpha if he suspected she had anything to do with the events of last week. But still, she seemed to think so.

“Tell me, Claire, why do you think you had anything to do with Zachariah’s attack? You don’t even know him.”

“I should have seen it coming.” She took a deep breath. “A few weeks ago, Ishim approached me while I was out to track a rabbit.” She ducked her head in embarrassment. It was not common for such a young wolf to train on her own, but Castiel knew already that Claire was ambitious to become a great hunter. “He made comments about you. Not particularly nice comments.” She blushed. “And I agreed with him. I said that… I said that we would all be better off if you never met Dean. That I wished you would just leave. He then asked what I thought should be done.”

Castiel looked down at her hands and Castiel could see the dark circles around her eyes. She must have been anxious for days now. “And what did you say?”

“I said that it was too late now to do anything. Dean wanted you as a mate and there was nothing I could do. He is Alpha, after all. And stubborn.”

Castiel waited for her to go on, but she remained silent.

“And Ishim? Did he tell you about his plans? Or did you otherwise help him…”

“No, he just … he studied me for a while until I felt uncomfortable. In the end, he just turned around and never approached me again.”

“Then why are you so upset?” Castiel was really confused.

“I should have known something was up! When he came to me… I… I should have told Dean. Or at least Jody.”

“Why? Claire, how could you have seen this coming? All you knew was that Ishim did not have a high opinion of me. And that would have been his right. As it is your right to not like me.”

“It’s not that I don’t like you Castiel, it’s just…”

“Then let’s say you were suspicious. That is nothing bad.” Castiel smiled softly and even dared to put an arm around her shoulder.

 Claire looked at him doubtfully.

“Claire, no one blames you. You just talked to someone about your feelings. And the fact that Ishim did not approach you again shows me that he did not think you would help him. Tell me, did you think, even for a moment, that Ishim had planned to get rid of me? To sneak Zachariah into the Castle?”

After short hesitation, Claire shook her head slowly.

“That’s what I thought.”

“But,… I should have realised something was wrong.”

“Claire, Crowley had said to my very face that he thought I was a spy. To Dean’s face, even. And still, no one thought he was planning a secret attack. None of this is your fault.”

Claire nodded, and she did look not as wrought as before, but Castiel doubted she had already forgiven herself. He hoped his words at least had more impact than Dean’s in this matter. Again, Castiel realised how young she still was.

“You know, there is something you could do for me.”

“Anything, Castiel.” Claire looked at him seriously, and Castiel started to smile wickedly.

“When Dean and I get mated, you could try to look a least a little bit exited to be at the bonding ceremony.”

 

>><< 

 

When Castiel walked through the full Hall for the first time since Zachariah tried to claim him, he was surprised at everyone’s reactions. He was stopped every other step by people who hugged him or clapped him on his back or asked after his health. By the time he arrived at his table, he was grinning like an imbecile. And once there, everyone just hugged him more heartily. No one seemed to blame him for the Adler attack, but everyone seemed impressed how he had saved himself. Once or twice, he tried to clarify that the fight had really not been that heroic and that he had just been lucky Zachariah was not much of a fighter and easily tricked – but it seemed no one was interested in that version of the story.

After dinner, Dean hesitated before he asked – like he had done at breakfast: “You sure you want to return to our quarters? We can move somewhere else.”

“Yes, I am sure. I want to try at least.”

Castiel knew the whole quarters had been cleansed during the last week. He was not sure how he would feel when he returned to their bedroom, but Dean was with him, and he was willing to try. When he stepped into the living room, he instantly could smell it. He also noticed one or two missing pieces of furniture. Slowly, he walked into the bedroom – where the carpet as well as the bed sheets and the curtains had been replaced. And again, that smell.

To his own surprise, Castiel’s lips escaped a giggle. Dean looked at him in wonder, and Castiel started to laugh. Eventually, he needed to sit down on the bed to keep himself from falling over with laughter.

Dean frowned, not sure if the joke was on him or not. It certainly was.

“What did you do, Dean?” Castiel managed between another fit of giggles. “Rub yourself over every spot for the last week? I guess I should be glad you did not urinate on the furniture.”

Dean looked offended, until Castiel pulled him down next to him and happily leaned against his chest, wrapping his arms around the alpha’s hips.

“I did not want to have the place still smell like that damned alpha.”

“That much is obvious, Dean. And I am truly grateful. It’s just… it’s a bit funny.”

“Oh, is it now?” Dean rumbled out. He pulled Castiel on his lap without effort and scratched his teeth along Castiel’s neck until the omega did not know what they had been talking about. Clearly, that had been Dean’s goal.

The alpha continued to suck and nip from Castiel’s throat to his ear until the scent of slick was mixing in the strong odour of _alpha_ in the room. Just as Dean was about to pull Castiel’s tunic over his head, he was held back.

“Wait, Dean, there is something I want to talk to you about.”

“Sure. You are right. There are a lot of things we should discuss.” Dean let his hands sink to his sides and took on a solemn expression. Obviously ready to talk about Castiel’s fear of another attack, Dean’s Alpha Rage or how he had executed Mirabel in an open Council. “What is it, sweetheart?”

“Since Zachariah is dead now, and I don’t have to fear anymore that someone will claim me or only look for me... And we also established that I love you and want to spend my life with you. And you yourself have said something of the kind. And our wolves obviously think we are a perfect match...”

Dean just watched Castiel, frowning. He obviously did not know what Castiel was hinting at with his babbling. He could be really dense at times. Castiel threw his hands in the air and tried the direct route:

“Can we, please, get mated already!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are almost done, lovelies. Just one more chapter to go. :-)


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ta-dah, I did it! I finished! And I kept my schedule the whole time (yes, I am proud of that)!   
> I hope you all enjoyed my story a little bit and let me know what you think. :-)

EIGHTEEN

 

It was about two weeks after Dean had set the preparations for the mating ceremony into motion when Castiel started second-guessing.

Not the decision to mate Dean, of course, not even the prospect of getting claimed afterwards and being tied to that one alpha for the rest of his life. But the fact that he would be the official mate of the Winchester Pack Alpha was increasingly worrying him.

It should probably not have seemed that terrifying all of a sudden – for one, Castiel had been prepared to be the mate of a pack alpha his whole life, and it was not like he had not known Dean was Alpha since the beginning. But still, it felt so final. And somehow, Castiel’s rationality failed him every now and then.

After the couple had made known to everyone that they were planning to bond in about a month – so it left enough time for Ellen to make preparations as well as for Anna, Balth and other guests to arrive – Castiel had not only been congratulated to his decision multiple times, but had also constantly been told how relieved everyone was that Dean was finally willing to settle down. The whole pack was clearly excited at the prospect of a content Alpha – and a more balanced leadership, with Castiel as Omega.

And that was something Castiel had never seen coming while growing up. He might have been taught to be the mate of a pack alpha – but in a world where he would have never been expected to take an active role in the pack. His job would have been to bear children, to make his mate happy, and, should the situation arise, he might have had to fulfil social functions like greeting guests or even oversee the servants – depending on the pack rules. All the while he would have had to bow down to his alpha, complying with all his wishes.

But now he was supposed to settle disputes or make decisions that could affect the whole pack. And sometimes, he just felt overwhelmed with the responsibility of his new role, convinced he did not know enough about the East to fulfil it properly.

Those were the kind of thoughts he was trying to subdue one afternoon when he was outside with Sam and Jess as well as the little Deana. Sam was running around with his daughter, chasing her over the field as well as letting her catch him, whatever she preferred at the moment – she did not yet understand the rules of playing tag. The weather was nice, and the grass had just started to shine in bright green, repelling the last specks of brown.

After Zachariah’s attack, Castiel had been surprised that Dean had not objected to him walking around freely again – without an entourage of at least three trained alphas. He had assumed Dean might get even more protective than before, but on the contrary, the alpha seemed almost relaxed after the Adler alphas were killed. Convinced that the threat had been eliminated. He also seemed to take a certain satisfaction from the fact that he had punished the traitors of his pack with his own hands – or rather his claws. But that did not mean that the alpha was not questioning his own aptitude as leader of the pack – realising that the threat had come from inside the pack as well as the Adlers had been hard for him so swallow. He blamed himself for not realising how far Ishim’s hatred had reached. That he had not seen it earlier. Castiel knew just how much Dean beat himself up for it – he had been quite busy trying to convince the alpha of the contrary. Unfortunately, Dean was not as easily persuaded as Claire had been.

Even the rest of the pack was on edge because of it. Dean had looked at everyone suspiciously for a while. But even though some shifters had been scared enough to tip their heads to the side whenever Dean was around, they seemed understanding of his mood. Castiel had heard more than once that the alpha would calm down with time – especially after he was mated. Everyone seemed convinced that just the presence of Castiel would have great impact on Dean’s temper. The omega hoped they were right – in any case, it felt just like another weight pressuring down on him.

Castiel shook his head to will the unwelcome thoughts away as he watched Sam and Deana playing around. Somewhere in the back of his mind he was replacing Sam with Dean and the girl with their own daughter. He gulped, and the hollow feeling in his stomach was back again. A daughter? Castiel breathed in deeply, trying to get his nerves under control with the scent of sun and nature. It almost worked – until, out of the blue, Jess stated:

“You have no idea how much I am looking forward to you getting mated to Dean.” Jess smiled warmly. “No one will ask me to pass things along to Dean anymore or to mediate between two quarrelling alphas. At least not half as often.” She stroked over her full belly. “And just in time.”

Castiel noticed himself how even his scent got sour from the spike of anxiousness he felt. Of course, he could not hide it from Jess either.

“What’s wrong, Castiel? I thought you would be over the moon at the prospect of getting mated. After all, you have been ranting about how stupid Dean was for not claiming you sooner during your entire heat.”

“No. No, I am thrilled to finally get mated,” Castiel stated in a firm voice.

Jess just looked at him and waited. It was a tactic she relied on quite often and it worked most of the times. Nonetheless, Castiel tried again: “Really. I can’t wait for the ceremony.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that. But there is something eating you up.” Jess studied him again as Castiel did not reply. “Look, I know that claiming can be terrifying. It is so final, and I could hardly eat for a week beforehand. I mean, I love Sam, always did, but there is no way back. And that is just frightening. There is no shame in being worried. And you don’t have to rush things, Castiel. I had Sam wait for some time after we bonded.”

“It’s not that.” Castiel felt a soft flutter in his stomach. “I look forward to that. I wanted Dean to mark me for weeks now. I want him to claim me just as much as I want to mate him.”

“Then what?”

“I just don’t feel like I am prepared enough for all the pack politics. I still stumble around when it comes to etiquette, and I don’t feel ready to settle any disputes or make decisions for someone other than myself. Everyone seems to think I will somehow lift the spirits. And don’t get me wrong, I prefer that to being seen as an outsider who should just run back to where he came from, but: What if I fail? What if I don’t have that pack omega magic everyone seems to be so convinced of? What if I don’t make anyone happier, or I make a grave mistake that will end in some brawl between pack members? I can’t even make Crowley stop driving anyone mad!”

At his outburst, Jess let out a loud laugh. Even Sam stopped in his moves and looked at his mate from afar. There was a dreamish glint in his eyes as he saw Jess, pregnant in the spring sun, throwing her head back in laughter. Only when Deana barged into him, making him stumble back at the sudden attack, he concentrated on his daughter again. Castiel had a very different expression on his face as he frowned at Jess. Finally he had confided his fears to someone, and Jess was obviously amused by it.

“Oh, Castiel, no one expects miracles from you. And you will never be alone to make those decisions. Dean is Alpha, and there is a whole Council. Don’t think about this too much.” She took one of his hands and a wicked glint stole into her eyes. “But the pack will be more balanced. Dean _will_ be more settled. That is just a fact. I mean, he already is. With what happened with Ishim and the other traitors – believe me, everyone wonders at his restraint. If not for you, he might have ripped off a few more heads, just because. And naturally, people are happy they will have someone else to turn to. Omegas are usually good listeners and they don’t take offense as easily as the rest. But no one expects you to make decisions without consulting your mate, much less behind his back.” She chuckled. “You know, at least you are somewhat prepared for this. It took _me_ completely by surprise.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, when I chose Sam as my mate, I had no idea I was considered the pack omega now. Or at least the closest thing. I mean, I already expected to join the Council and I liked that idea. But I did not know that, since I was now also related to Dean, people saw me as the perfect liaison to the head alpha.”

Castiel was about to say something else, but then Deana suddenly ran towards him, wrapped both her arms around his legs and screamed “gotya!” with an excited yelp.

Sam laughed loudly, and a second later, Castiel chased after the tall beta, which was not easy since Deana refused to let go of him. Running was hard when a two-year-old sat on one of your feet, grabbing onto a leg whilst giggling hysterically.

At least the game made Castiel forget about his worries for a while. He would take Jess’ advice to heart and not ponder about expectations anymore. He felt lighter already – it was odd how vocalizing your concerns and have someone laugh at them could lift such a weight from your chest. But it was not the first time he had realised talking was the quickest way to overcome one´s sorrows. If you asked Castiel, this was just more proof that Dean’s preferred solution of _bottling it up_ was stupid.

Just as Sam, Castiel and Deana untangled to go back inside, Alfie waited for his friend at the gate. The young omega’s face glowed as he all but ordered: “Come with me, Cas. Dean and Benny are training with the guards today. You’ll want to see this, trust me.”

Castiel was a bit bemused by Alfie’s enthusiasm – Benny and Dean trained with the young adults at least once a week from what he had heard.

Before he parted from the small family, Jess hugged him tightly and whispered: “It is not as bad as you may think at the moment. But it is perfectly comprehensible to fret a little before mating.”

Sam watched the exchange with furrowed brows but did not say anything. Neither did Alfie, who pulled Castiel with him forcefully.

 

>><< 

 

Alfie led Castiel up to a lookout on the wall where they could watch the training session from a distance. Below them were a dozen of young shifters, mostly alphas but also a few betas, who obviously aspired to be the next generation of pack warriors. He knew Dean and Benny liked to train with them personally from time to time, but Castiel had never watched before. Come to think of it, he did not know why he never had made any attempt to do so since it looked quite --- interesting. Dean just showed a young woman a way to improve some form of attacking technique – and he looked quite good doing it.

“Do you often come here and watch?” He asked Alfie.

“Not that much anymore. But I used to,” the omega admitted with a hint of a blush.

Castiel frowned. “Then why today?”

“Wait. You’ll see,” was all the answer Castiel got. He did not ask further, knowing Alfie and his love for surprises.

It had taken a while for the alphas in the courtyard to notice the two omegas, but in an instant, their training just got more aggressive. Most of them were about Alfie’s age and they seemingly tried to impress the omega. Benny, however, did not once look up, completely focused on the training session. Alfie’s birthday had been last week and after that, most of the younger alphas had started to act up again. Alfie had not talked about their behaviour to Castiel though. And suddenly, he wondered about that.

“How is your progress with Benny going?”

Alfie groaned, which might have been answer enough. “That alpha is insufferable. I mean since the fire I am really sure he wants me – the fact that he scent-marked me without thinking is quite enough for me. And he has been… well, he did seek me out a few times and talked to me. But other than that – nothing. He has not yet made any attempt to court me officially. I swear, once he does, I will make him wait for a very, very long time before he gets to claim me. Since I have suffered for so long.”

Castiel laughed. “You just turned 21 a few days ago, Alfie. He hardly made you wait too long as of yet. In the strict sense, he had not been allowed to court you until last week.”

But Castiel had to admit he had expected Benny to act more boldly once Alfie was 21. Especially since the omega had stopped encouraging anyone else, showing a seriousness that was rare on the young man. Every night at dinner, at least one alpha offered him their plate, but Alfie always declined politely. And then he would just nibble at some bread for half an hour until he retired early. He did not even stop by Dean’s table anymore, obviously convinced it was Benny’s turn to seek him out for a change.

He had not lost his sense for drama however. He always only ate a few bites in public to emphasise he was waiting for someone to offer him their meal. Of course, everyone knew that he was not starving but ate mostly in private. Castiel did not know whether to be exasperated or amused every time he watched Benny watching Alfie with a deep frown. Some alphas had even begun to shoot angry glares at the First Warrior, like it was his fault if the treasured omega did not eat enough.

Castiel had understood that Benny had not wanted to make a move until Alfie was old enough to mate, had even understood that he wanted to make sure Alfie kept an open mind about other options and was not led by childlike infatuation, but by now, the whole thing was almost ridiculous. A few months ago, Castiel might have thought that the alpha was just not that interested, but by now, he had caught Benny watching Alfie from afar too often to doubt his feelings.

“He is still insufferable.” Alfie interrupted his thoughts again. “And I am miffed that he did not… well, he did not punch Bela last week.”

“Bela?” Castiel did not know why the female alpha was suddenly part of their conversation.

Alfie sighed and then took a deep breath, as if preparing for a long speech.

“At my birthday, after dinner, Bela followed me to my room and she… well, she complimented me and flirted so charmingly it made me laugh. And then she… ahem… tried to kiss me. I pushed her away, and she just winked and made some lewd offer, leaning back in again. And then there was a loud cough. It was Benny, observing us from the end of the corridor, and I … well, I kind of expected him to chase Bela away. Forcefully. But he just glared until she wished me a good night and left. Then Benny walked away wordlessly, into the other direction,” Alfie looked to the floor, embarrassment written over his face. A rare sight. “I know you don’t particularly like alphas challenging each other over omegas, but I really thought Benny should have done something, anything. She was making a pass at me – he must have seen it. I was really frustrated he just stood there.”

“Why is this the first time I hear about this?” Castiel asked louder than he had intended. Usually, Alfie told Castiel every detail about all meetings with Benny, and at full length.

“Well, you just had all these things going on yourself and you seemed kind of absent-minded the last couple of days. I didn’t want to bother you with my childish problems on top of that.”

Castiel felt guilty. Had he been so self-absorbed?

“Anyway, since that night, Benny had been distant, like he used to be.”

Castiel looked down at the sparring alpha and felt the strange desire to hit him with a heavy brick. Then, he tried to picture the scene with Bela in his mind. Suddenly, he had a thought.

“Alfie, did Bela ever offer you food?”

Alfie scoffed: “No. Since Benny had not done anything useful I told Bela quite directly she better not approach me again. I don’t _need_ an alpha to help me turn someone down, you know.”

“Could it be … could it be that Benny misinterpreted the situation? When he saw you and Bela at your room… maybe he thought you had encouraged her. And you said you were frustrated. Maybe he thought you were angry at him for interrupting.”

Alfie’s eyes widened. Then: “But that’s stupid. Everyone knows I had only had eyes for Benny since… forever.”

“But Benny had always been insistent that you at least look around. And maybe he is waiting for you to make up your mind about Bela. Maybe he is just really, really stupid – like most alphas – and thinks you want Bela to court you.”

Alfie looked down at the alpha who just explained to a young man what he had done wrong in a patient manner. The omega had a deep frown on his face.

“Seriously, why did I have to fall for such a dense idiot!”

“Don’t ask me.” Castiel smirked, and pointedly looked down at Dean. At the same time, the alpha looked up and winked at his almost-mate, then blew him a kiss.

Alfie huffed out: “Now, you’re just making me jealous. But I will talk to Benny. Or maybe yell at Bela in front of him so he won’t believe I have my eyes on her anymore.”

Castiel opened his mouth in reply, but the sound of hurried steps interrupted him. A moment later, Jody, Claire and Alex stood next to the young men.

“Did they start already?” Alex asked excitedly.

“No, not yet.” Alfie answered. Castiel looked around the courtyard and only now noticed that, in the last ten minutes or so, shifters had gathered around at the sides of the yard below as well as among the wall.

“Seriously, what is going to happen?”

“A challenge.” Jody answered. “The class will try to attack Dean and Benny as a group. Before they will be deemed fit to guard the pack, everyone needs to pass some tests, mostly in single combat, hunting or survival training. But this is a group effort. Shifting is prohibited. At the first sign of wolf, the group loses. It is as much about defeating Dean and Benny as it is about holding their wolves in check.”

“But --- all of them together? Against two?”

Alex smiled at Castiel: “No one expects them to succeed today.”

“What? But there are so many of them.” Castiel would be the first to defend Dean’s skills, but the numbers were not in his favour.

“It’s only their first try. No class had ever succeeded at their first try since Dean is Alpha.”

Castiel let out a purring sound and looked to the ground in embarrassment. No one needed to know just how proud he was of his mate.

Suddenly, he heard excited muttering from all around and locked his gaze to the yard again. Everyone had already assumed position. Bobby was on the side, supervising the whole combat. The alphas and betas formed a circle and Dean and Benny stood in the middle, back to back. Dean looked up again to Castiel and smirked before Bobby roared “Attack!” that boomed through the courtyard.

What followed was an impressive show of strength and skill, on both sides. Multiple students attacked at once, but Dean and Benny seemed to have no trouble deflecting them. The two alphas moved like they had never done anything else and were completely in sync. They even seemed to enjoy teasing their opponents a bit. Some were still waiting for the right moment – a simultaneous attack was not that easy with no weapons and with the two alphas in the middle securing each other. Castiel also noticed the young men and women were hardly working as a team – everyone seemed too fixed to get a blow in, the victorious strike. He assumed this might be the true lesson here: Keep you own pride under control for the benefit of the whole group. If so, they still had a lot to learn, and meanwhile, just made it easier for Dean and Benny to defend themselves.

People around cheered – both for their head alphas as well as the students.

Sometimes Claire made a remark next to Castiel. Something like: “You have to try and break them up! Why do they never learn? As long as they have each other’s back, it is almost impossible to form a proper attack.”

Alex chuckled: “I am sure you will do much better once you are old enough to participate.”

“Of course. I have studied those two for years. First, you have to split them up. The best way to get to Benny is by multiple low punches in a quick succession. He is strong, but not the fastest.”

Alfie frowned at her like he took personal offence. Jody, on the other hand, looked proud of her daughter.

“And Dean?” Castiel asked Claire – who grinned widely. Obviously, the young alpha had thought about this a lot.

“Irritate him – throw some silly insults at his face or make him embarrassed about a stupid move. He will take it personal and concentrate too much on you. That will leave the way open for someone else to tackle him down.”

Everyone laughed, then Claire saw the problem: “But don’t you tell that to anyone. I will be in the first group to ever beat them at their first try.”

She still had a chance to break that record, because the group below did not manage to win. There were already half a dozen men and women lying on the floor, obviously in pain yet not seriously injured or just too exhausted to go on. And a few minutes later, while Dean and Benny still seemed to enjoy the action, the combat came to an abrupt halt: At the same time, three shifters had turned into their wolf form – a mixture of rage, irritation and embarrassment made it impossible for them to hold their wolves back anymore.

The crowd howled in disappointment while Donna and Charlie ran towards the wolves to calm them down and keep the fighters apart.

Claire looked at the wolves with a concentrated expression and mumbled: “That will be the hard part. Keeping the wolf in check.”

The assembled spectators soon cheered loudly as Dean started to bow in all directions in a funnily exaggerated move. Benny just merely nodded his head. Especially the kids cheered loudly and Castiel suddenly understood their heroic picture of the two alphas – if they got to see that kind of spectacles regularly. In the end, Dean turned to Castiel and waved at him. Benny looked up in Alfie’s direction with a grim expression. Like he finally was no longer able to ignore the young man watching him.

Suddenly, there was a hint of slick in the air. Both Castiel and Alfie excused themselves quickly.

 

>><< 

 

It was only a week until their mating – and Castiel was still torn between pleasant anticipation and nagging worries. He and Dean did not sleep in the same room anymore – the alpha had hesitantly asked whether it would be all right with him to go back to his old room for the remaining nights. Obviously, it was tradition in the Winchester pack. In the past, the intended mates would be kept completely apart for 21 days before a union. But now, they only refrained from intimate contact for seven nights. Dean had seemed almost embarrassed to ask, but since, by Castiel’s upbringing, omegas would often have met their mates only once or twice before the ceremony, he did not find it too strange. Sweet even.

And to make up for it, Dean always joined Castiel at breakfast. This morning, they shared a happy family breakfast with only Sam and Jess. Deana was sitting in Dean’s lap, and not for the first time did Castiel admire how good Dean was around kids. He smiled at the thought that they would one day raise their own children and not simply give them away to the care of a governess. Castiel wasn’t in a hurry to get pregnant, but it was a step in his life he certainly looked forward to.

“This was nice,” Castiel mumbled as Sam picked up Deana and he and his mate were ready to leave.

Jess smiled: “I imagine this will be a lot messier in a few years. You know, when this one will be romping around.” She stroked over her full belly. “As well as your little ones.”

Castiel blushed deeply, but Dean only grinned: “Well, you lot have been asking me for years when I will finally sire strong alpha pups.”

Castiel did not feel embarrassed anymore. He felt like there was suddenly a hole where his stomach had been.

Sam rolled his eyes at his brother. “I am pretty sure no one has ever phrased it like that.”

With one almost pitiful smile – the one that said _you sure you are making the right decision?_ – in Castiel’s direction, the couple went their way. Castiel, however, was not able to react to the joke.

Dean must have noticed that something was wrong. He looked at his omega with a frown.

“What’s wrong, Cas?”

Castiel tried to shrug it off. It was stupid. But now that Dean thought there was something off about him, he clearly was not that easily satisfied.

“You know, I don’t mean for us to get with child right away. It told you that I won’t join you in heat if you don’t want to. And even if you do… there are lots of ways I can help you without you getting pregnant. And I can drink wolfsbane, so I won’t go into rut.” He stroked over Castiel’s arm.

“I know, Dean. I believe you.”

“Then what?”

“It’s nothing really.” Dean just kept looking at him and Castiel sighed. “What if we don’t have alpha children?”

“What?”

“You told me yourself: Every pack alpha had alpha children, for generations. Not only that, but every _firstborn_ was an alpha _son_. Always. What if we don’t? What if I won’t give birth to an alpha male– so they cannot mate an omega and have another male alpha son?”

There was surprise on Dean’s face, like he had never considered this could upset Castiel so much. Castiel also suspected that Dean was positive that the long line of Winchester alpha firstborns would not end with him. But what he said was:

“Cas, don’t worry about that. Even if we only have beta children, we will still love them. And I will try not to put as much pressure on them as I have suffered. Our child does not need to be the next pack leader – we should not think that far into the future yet. I just want _you_ for now. And if Farkas will ever bless us with kids then I don’t care about their gender, but that they will be healthy and loved.” He looked so sincere, Castiel did not doubt his words. Still…

“I just… I just don’t want to disappoint anyone.”

“You won’t, sweetheart.”

“But maybe… maybe…” Castiel licked his lips but before he could remember what he wanted to say, he was interrupted:

“Cas… are you getting cold feet on me?”

“No. No!” The omega almost yelled, not wanting Dean to believe he doubted his willingness to mate him.

The alpha smiled and kissed Castiel in a way that had him soon forget all his worries.

 

>><< 

 

At the day of the ceremony, Castiel woke up with an odd feeling in his stomach. On the one hand, he could hardly wait to finally be Dean’s, on the other hand, he would have preferred this whole thing would be over already. He did not feel comfortable being at the centre of attention. And neither was he used to it, like Dean was. And it did not help either that, since Dean was Alpha, the crowd would be quite large. Even other pack alphas had been invited.

Five days ago, Gabriel had been the first to arrive. He had left his mate behind again since she did not want to travel with her little pup. The baby seemed to have troubles staying in one form – which was rare. Most children only started to shift at about three years of age. With Gabriel came Anna and Balthazar, of course. The two had been the only ones to arrive in wolf form of the Angyal pack, and Castiel smiled at the sight – they obviously did not want anyone to mutter behind their backs about them needing a horse.

Though, to be fair, most of the packs arrived with a few horses – who pulled carriages with their luggage. But the usual arrangement was two humans, the rest wolves; not the other way around.

After Anna had hugged Castiel, she took Balthazar’s hand and announced: “This probably won’t be the only wedding in the family this year.”

Castiel hugged his sister again, then Balthazar, overwhelmed that those two had finally resolved the tense atmosphere around them.

The next day, the Campbells arrived. Dean hugged their Alpha Gwen heartily. Castiel had been told that there had been a gruesome fight for leadership some years ago – for a while, the pack had been led by a wolf named Christian, who had seemingly tried to force some old-fashioned ideas on his followers as well as plans to enlarge their territory. The Winchesters did not even try to hide how relieved they were when Gwen challenged the Alpha and turned the Campbells into a more peaceful pack again. And a close ally to the Winchesters. The Campbells brought the largest number of people, and Castiel noticed how nearly everyone seemed to have a distant relative in this pack, showing how closely the two clans had been intertwined for generations.

Even the Hellhounds sent a small group. As an ambassador came a fierce alpha named Ruby. She spent most of her time sneering at Crowley – who did not look any happier to see her in turn –, look at Sam like he was some form of tasting meal, or compared Winchester and Hellhound traditions in a condescending tone.

But the one who scared Castiel the most was Amara. He felt his hands shake when the black wolf spurted through the gate. She was tall, even bigger than Dean’s wolf, and just looking at her, Castiel remembered all the terrifying stories he had heard about Amara as a child. Her fur was not only black, it was so dark it felt like she was sucking in all the colour around her. When Dean stepped forward to greet her, she turned to human form. And Castiel did not enjoy it when the naked woman hugged his mate. He might even have let out a low growl, not exactly a polite way to greet a stranger. But Castiel had remembered what Sam told him about how Amara had once sought to bond with Dean herself. Luckily, she did not seem to take offense of his reaction but merely stepped back.

No one of the Roman pack appeared, and neither had they been invited, but they sent a gift – a large bouquet of flowers Castiel had never seen before. Ellen and Bobby seemed pleased about the present as it was a sign of the standing truce and peaceful intentions. The flowers, Lotus, obviously represented fertility and it was a common mating gift among their pack.

So, at least on his mating day, Castiel had already met all strangers and Anna had told him to only concentrate on his closest friends and family – and to blur out the rest.

Alfie and Anna shared breakfast with him in his room. Castiel could hear fussy noises around, the whole Castle seemed to be brimming with excitement. The ceremony itself would be held after noon, so Castiel had enough time to get ready. He would meet Dean in the courtyard when everyone else was already in the beautifully decorated Council Hall, and then the couple would be led inside by Bobby, who officiated their ceremony.

Castiel took a long bath, that even managed to calm the butterflies in his stomach. Then he put on his clothes. Picking an outfit had not been easy. The seamstresses obviously were a bit disappointed he did not want to wear a dress – in turn, that unsettled Castiel who was not sure if everyone would expect him to wear some sort of gown. But Ellen appeased him, telling him it was common for a male omega to choose trousers and a tunic. And in the end, that tunic was rather artful itself. The colour was a bright blue, almost turquoise, and the girdle of flowers on his head was colourful and yet modest. Castiel even recognized one of the Lotus flowers from the Roman pack.

“You look beautiful,” Alfie gushed and Castiel was about to brush it off when Anna chirped in:

“You do, Cas. I am really happy for you,” she announced for the tenth time that day.

When it was time, Alfie went directly to the Hall, but Anna accompanied Castiel to meet with Dean. She hugged him again, before she solemnly laid his hand into the alpha’s palm.

Unsurprisingly, Dean looked gorgeous as well. His clothes were simpler than Castiel’s, but the green suited him. He looked at his omega with a radiant smile.

“You look gorgeous.”

“Thank you. You are not too bad yourself.”

Dean snorted. “What are you saying? I look extremely handsome.”

Castiel opened his mouth to chide the cocky alpha, but he forgot about it as soon as wonderful music started around him. He looked up, squinting his eyes against the sun, and saw a swarm of birds flying over their heads. Castiel had never seen animals like that; they were of all colours and their song was heartbreakingly beautiful. Only when Dean laid a hand to his face did he notice he was crying from the sheer beauty of it. Two large birds flew towards them, and Castiel was contemplating to run ad cower, but Dean gently held him in place. Castiel saw one of the birds set a twig of silver leaves on Dean’s crown of flowers, and at a slight touch on his head, he guessed he had now a similar twig in his own hair.

Castiel still stared at the birds with wide eyes – Dean, however, did not seem as surprised, but he was obviously still touched.

“What are those?”

“A greeting from the Wild.”

The last months, Castiel had heard lots of stories about the far Wild in the East, and how the Winchesters saw themselves as protectors of the borders. And in return, nature itself blessed their pack. Castiel had always assumed those were children’s tales, nothing supernatural would live in those vast forests, but now, he could hardly deny the feeling of peace surging through his body.

“You ready?”

Castiel looked into radiant green eyes.

“More than ready.”

 

>><< 

 

Castiel remembered hardly anything about the ceremony. It was all a blur. He knew he was walking through the aisles to the sound of bells, and still the wonderful singing of the birds outside. But he hardly recognized a face in the crowd.

In front sat Sam and Jess at one side, and Anna and Gabriel on the other. He remembered Gabriel, in a bright gold and yellow tunic that hurt his eyes. He also remembered how his gaze sometimes turned to Claire who sat on one of the cushions. Every time he looked at her, she smiled widely – or she tried to. It looked more like a painful grimace.

Bobby then greeted the guests, and every present pack by name, especially the ambassadors from the Wild. The birds outside chirped loudly in response and everyone in the Hall seemed deeply moved by their presence. Maybe apart from Ruby – she looked more uncomfortable than anything else.

Soon, both Dean and Castiel repeated their wedding vows and before Castiel knew it, there were cheers all around and Dean pulled him in a kiss that was more passionate than Castiel would have thought appropriate for the occasion. Not that he cared at the moment.

That was about the time when Castiel came out of his haze. He felt like waking up. A huge smile was plastered on his face and he thanked Farkas for sending him such a good alpha.

For the next eternity – that is what it felt like at least – Castiel received best wishes and blessings, was hugged by what felt like a thousand people and still could not stop smiling.

Finally, they moved the company to the banquet Hall. There, Castiel and Dean shared a dance – and even though he had had some lessons by now, Castiel was still nervous. But in the end, he just looked into Dean’s eyes and felt like nothing else mattered.

Then came the horrible part. Or rather, the part of the day Castiel had feared the most. He had to share a dance with every guest. But it turned out to be rather fun. There were also quite a few pack members who did not seem to enjoy dancing too much – Crowley, for example, hardly took Castiel’s hands before he let go again and mumbled “all right, that will do to bless you with a litter of pups”. Meg on the other hand flirted with him like she had not done for a long time, reminding him that now they would never be able to share a passionate fling – Castiel’s face had turned so red, he was glad when Dean finally cut Meg off with a jealous growl.

Gabriel had once again found Sam to talk his ear off – and with Jess being pregnant, he could not even ask her to keep dancing with him to escape the short alpha. At least, Gabriel had managed to drive Ruby away – the female alpha was now seemingly lecturing Garth, who looked like a trapped rabbit. Dorothy and Charlie sat on the side and watched Donna and Jody dragging Bobby and Rufus to the dance floor. On the other end of the room, Ellen and Jo jumped wildly up and down to a rhythm only they seemed to be able to hear, but they were surprisingly in sync. Victor watched his mate like he still could not believe he managed to catch her. Anna and Balthazar danced together the whole day until late at night and Castiel was incredibly happy for them.

And there was someone else he was very happy for.

As the banquet started, the seating order was different than usual. On the table of the mating couple were also Anna, Balthazar, Gabriel as well as Alfie and Meg as guests of the omega. Most shifters had already danced or played music for a while, so as soon as Castiel had had the traditional first bite, everyone loaded their plates with enthusiasm. Especially Benny. The alpha put everything he could reach on it until he balanced a big pile of food with a surprisingly determined look on his face. Then he stood and walked towards Alfie on the other end of the table. Meg was quick to react, as she left her place next to the omega and sat down at Benny’s stool.

Alfie looked up with wide eyes as Benny held out the plate to him. A few seconds passed and Castiel was beginning to fear the omega would do something stupid. But then the young man smiled widely and took the plate with a gracious “thank you”. Benny sat down next to him, a stupid grin trying to break his face. There were cheers all around and more than one hoot of “finally!”

 

>><< 

 

_Finally_ was also what Castiel thought after he and Dean had talked and danced with every guest – and those were a lot – and could retire to their shared quarters. Finally. Dean had asked Castiel previously to make changes to their rooms as he pleased – but Castiel only had one request: He had asked for a new bed. He wanted something new to share with Dean, something where Dean had neither slept alone for years nor brought any other shifters to keep him company, as Castiel knew he had.

But now was the first time Castiel saw the new piece of furniture he had almost forgotten about in his excitement before the ceremony. He let his hands wander over the wood in astonishment. He had not expected such an artful work. It was as dark as the old one had been, but even bigger and into the bedposts were carved beautiful patterns. More crude and deep near the feet, the higher up the more delicate they got.

“You like it?” Dean asked in a gruff voice.

“I _love_ it. This is beautiful, Dean.”

“You sure? I can change some things if you want something different.” Dean still seemed oddly sheepish and a thought hit Castiel.

“You didn’t do this yourself, did you?”

“Course I did,” Dean answered. And Castiel thought: well, yes, of course. How could he have assumed differently. This was probably just another step in this whole Winchester-courting-process. _Alpha makes den how omega likes it_. Castiel chuckled, and Dean raised an eyebrow, trying to look indignant rather than hurt.

“This is almost ridiculously beautiful, Dean. I can’t believe you could think otherwise. It is amazing you did this in such a short time.”

“So… how about we try it out?” Dean pulled Castiel towards himself and the omega let him nibble at his neck for a moment.

“No, not now.” Dean leaned back and raised an eyebrow. “You know what I want, Dean.”

“You sure?

“Dean. We talked about this. I don’t want to wait. I want you to make me yours. Tonight.”

Castiel was prepared to argue with Dean again – they had had this conversation almost every day for the last week. Castiel wanted Dean to claim him right after the ceremony – and Dean half-heartedly tried to talk him out of it. Castiel might have felt discouraged, but he knew Dean just wanted him to be completely sure since there would be no going back from that decision – and as a matter of fact, in the Winchester clan, an omega would often wait a few months before taking the next step. Castiel wickedly enjoyed how every time when Dean advised him to caution, his eyes gleamed gold, like the alpha had to put a leash on his wolf to even get the words out. Castiel did not doubt that Dean wanted this as much as him; he just did not want for Castiel to regret anything in the future. The omega supposed the consideration might have had a little bit to do with the insecure and self-doubting side of his alpha.

But this time, Dean did not even try to argue, his golden eyes fixed on Castiel’s unscathed throat.

With a soft smile, Castiel started to undress, slowly, while Dean’s eyes roamed over him. When the omega was completely nude, the couple looked into each other’s eyes and time stopped for a moment.

Then Castiel grinned impishly: “Give me a head start, will you?”

A few seconds later, he had shifted, and Dean had the presence of mind to open the door for the small wolf.

Castiel rushed past the alpha, through the corridors and to the outside. He could hear laughter and music, people still celebrating. He then sprinted towards the small forest right behind the Castle. He would have liked to run out of town, but he did not know how much time Dean would grant him. But he doubted it was enough for him to even make it to the Old Tree.

When he reached the first line of trees, the sounds of the Castle were hushed down to a low echo, softened by the trees and the mild breeze. Castiel looked up at the clear sky and shivered. But not from cold; he could hear heavy paws closing in. Castiel pushed himself faster once more, his tail flagging high, an unmistakable sign he was not really trying to escape. He howled in joy when he felt the heavy weight of Dean gently push him down while the alpha grumbled victoriously.

Only minutes later, their bodies tied together, did Dean sink his teeth into Castiel’s throat, binding them together for the rest of their lives, and beyond. Instantly, Castiel noticed the low drumming sound surging through his body, like a second heartbeat, safe and assuring, never leaving him again.

 

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all your supportive comments and kudos – they always make me happy and kept me motivated to finish this story. <333

**Author's Note:**

> This story will (probably) be 18 chapters long and I’ll (try to) update every Thursday.  
> English is not my first language, so please, forgive me my mistakes. :)


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